A COURAGEOUS former York mother has lost her 15-year battle against breast cancer.

Tributes have flooded in for Amanda Hill, 39, who died surrounded by family and friends in Malta, where she settled ten years ago.

Amanda, who was known as Mandy, leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter, Amy-Victoria, mother, Mavis, and partner, Albert, worked for the Evening Press advertising department before moving to the Mediterranean.

She was first diagnosed with breast cancer while living in York in 1986 and underwent intensive treatment. The cancer returned two years ago and she had both her breasts removed within a year.

Mandy, who used to live in Haxby and Escrick, and ran a restaurant in Malta, finally lost her battle against the disease last Saturday.

Her former partner, and father of Amy-Victoria, Charles Stuart, 50, flew to the funeral on the Maltese island of Gozo, which is home to her mother.

He said: "We were only together for about three years, but we never lost touch.

"Mandy loved to party and was a real good-time girl. She would go out and laugh and dance all night.

"She never let the cancer bother her and used to laugh and joke about it. "Courageous is not a big enough word to describe her."

Mandy's mother, Mavis, said her daughter worked tirelessly for other cancer sufferers at the hospital in Gozo.

She said: "Mandy was constantly raising money which helped to alleviate the suffering of others."

Family friend June Challis, who also went to the funeral, said Mandy would be greatly missed.

She said: "Mandy was a very bubbly person and really got on with her life despite the cancer. Everybody loved her."

Former Evening Press colleague Janet Berry said: "Mandy was a lovely woman and was always up for a laugh."

The family have requested that donations be made to Friends of the Sick & Elderly of Malta Hospice, Gozo Hospital, Malta.

Updated: 11:11 Saturday, March 10, 2001