A POPULAR Redditch businesswoman, who started her first recruitment agency in 1979, has lost a six-month battle against cancer, aged 61.

Anne Girling died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, on Sunday, September 3, after developing thrombosis in her legs.

Mrs Girling had been in the recruitment business for 28 years and will be best remembered for her thriving firm, Anne Girling Recruitment, based at Greenlands Business Centre.

Her long-term friend and colleague Vanessa Eagle said: "Anne was a very strong-willed woman and she was determined she would come back to the office.

"She helped many people find work and people really admired her.

"She always had time for everyone and always gave people a lot of confidence."

Mrs Girling, who lived in Hanbury, did a lot of work for good causes, especially children's charities.

Mrs Eagle said: "She did so much for charity before she was ill.

"She raised money for a number of people, including helping children with leukaemia."

Mrs Girling also spent six years in Ghana after opening a commercial training school and returned to Redditch in 1994.

Mrs Eagle added: "I worked with Anne from the start and I consider her to be a very good friend.

"She will be sorely missed by many people in Redditch."

Her funeral was due to be held at St Mary's C of E Church, in Studley, at 11am today followed by a service at Redditch Crematorium at 11.30am.

All donations and flowers are to be sent to Huxley's Funeral Services.