MORE than half the required funds have been raised for a Maldon woman to pay for a funeral for her mother.

Sharon Williams died of a stroke on February 26 this year.

The 49-year-old from Heybridge died very suddenly, and this left her daughter Lana Williams, 22, to try to bring together arrangements for her funeral.

Due to no funding being available, Lana set up a crowdfunding page and appealed for the public’s help to raise the £3,000 needed for a basic funeral.

The Standard published an article about the crowdfunding last Wednesday. Since then, generous residents from around the Maldon district have been sending donations.

The page has raised more than £1,600 within seven days, more than half of the final amount needed.

Lana has thanked the generous donators for their help and that it will mean the world to her entire family.

She said: “I would like to thank everyone that has donated and shared the page.

“It means an incredible amount to me and my brothers, we had no other option as no funding was available.

“We will be forever grateful to those who have helped us in this very difficult time.

“If more people can donate or even just share the page around to more people see it, it would make a huge difference.

“Thank you everyone for your generosity.”

Sharon Williams had lived in Colchester Road, Heybridge for nearly 30 years and was well known in the area. She left behind her daughter Lana plus a son and other distant family members.

The £3,000, if fully raised, will pay for a basic funeral for Sharon so she can be laid to rest.

Lana previously paid tribute to her mother, saying she “tried her best” in everything.

She said: “Our mum was one of kind, quirky, and set in her ways, but we couldn’t have wished for a better mum.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sharonwilliams.