Soul sensations give Rose the perfect farewell

Rose Hansford, who died last month aged 61 from breast cancer, had fallen in love with the song Mama, as performed by The Drifters when she and her daughters saw them in concert last year.

The band had never recorded the track, but when Mrs Hansford’s family contacted their manager, they were told that lead singer Michael Williams was so moved that he arranged for them to make a recording that afternoon.

Her daughter Steph Clifton said: “When the song was played at the the funeral service, we were all seated - such a poignant song. Us girls couldn’t leave until we had heard the whole track and it was played over and over,

“What The Drifters and their manager, Kathy Mashadi, have done brings me to tears. They are all truly remarkable.”

The family was also offered tickets to the band’s next concert in Birmingham to auction in aid of Cancer Research UK, as well as tickets for themselves to see the show.

Born in Deddington in 1950, Mrs Hansford moved to Kineton when she was a baby. She married John Hansford at the age of 18 and worked in a variety of roles, including at a nursing home, as a bookmakers’ clerk, at Kineton post office and at the Card Factory in Leamington.

Mrs Clifton said that after her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, she never once uttered the words ‘why me?’, adding: “She would do anything for you, she didn’t have a nasty bone in her body and she would always put someone before herself.

“My mum was one of the most loving, warm, kind-hearted persons on this earth. I am so proud to call her my mum.”

Mrs Hansford leaves her mother Lois Eden, three daughters Sharon Adams, Steph Clifton and Vikki Faulkner and seven grandchildren.

Her funeral took place last month at Oakley Wood crematorium.