A BELOVED businesswoman who paved the way for women in the local building supplies industry has died aged 87.

Blanche Foster took over the Worcester company E H Dayus at a time when the sector was dominated by men.

In a bid to establish herself, she renamed the firm B Dayus and ran it for over 30 years, before it was forced to close in 1995.

Her son Keith Foster has praised her as a determined and selfless woman who held her own against male competitors in her trade.

He said: "She was really special. She was the only woman in that business.

"That's why she decided to change the name from E H Dayus to B Dayus. She traded under her maiden name.

"E H Dayus was owned by her father - Enoch Dayus. But her father took ill with cancer and she took over the business.

"While she was running the business her dad passed away."

Keith Foster said his mum took over the company's yard, in Lowesmoor Wharf, Worcester, in 1957.

He added that workers would chop and store firewood at the yard and then put it into bags to be sold.

Mr Foster said: "To make the business grow she started selling building materials like sand and gravel. Logs were going out. People were going to gas fires.

"She made the business into one which was equal to any other builders' merchants in Worcester."

The father-of-two, who was Mrs Foster's only child, said his mum had some experience in the trade from her childhood.

He said her dad used to run three shops in Lowesmoor and that she would sometimes look after these when she was not in school.

She was forced to shut down her business due to the recession and the death of her husband in 1988.

Mr Foster, aged 70, then employed his mum at Foster Haulage and she carried out deliveries with his wife.

He said: "She was working until she was 77.

"If you knew anyone that knew my mother they put her on a pedestal. She was very determined.

"She was only eight stone and she was carrying cement slabs."

He added that she was also a kind lady who was much loved by her five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Mrs Foster lived in Diglis Road for the last 52 years and died of natural causes on Tuesday, December 26.

Her funeral will take place at Worcester Crematorium at 12.15pm on Monday, January 22.