COMMUNITY nurses in Blaenavon received a cheque for £1,200 to help them with the service they provide to the local community.

The money was raised following the death of local councillor Lynn Howells.

Councillor Howells, 57, died in early October after an eight-month battle with lung cancer.

Her family had asked for donations to be made to the nurses in lieu of flowers as Councillor Howells was cared for by nurses Kaye Titchener, Angela Taylor and Ruth Edmunds during her final months at the family home in Old William Street.

Her mother Doreen, 80, along with Doug Davies, the deputy mayor of Torfaen, visited the nurses yesterday at their base in the Carreg Wen Surgery, Church Road, to hand over the money.

Mrs Howells said: "We decided to ask people to make a donation to the Blaenavon community nurses instead of flowers because Lynn was so well known in the town. I don't think there would have been enough room for all the flowers.

"The nurses were absolutely great. I can't give them enough credit for what they did for my daughter. There is not enough words to express my thanks. They were here whenever you needed them. They came every day, sometimes two or three times a day towards the end. All of them were wonderful."

Councillor Davies said: "Councillor Howells was a highly respected member of the community and this very generous collection shows that. This money will help the Blaenavon community nurses continue their excellent work."

Sister Edmunds said she and her colleagues had not yet decided what to spend the money on.

"We don't know what we will use the money for but it will be for the benefit of the people living in Blaenavon. It may be used to buy some equipment."