Sutton mum's pride at 'lockdown hero' children coping with grandma's death

Proud Tracy Wilkinson, 40, says her children Kayleigh, 14, and Dylan, 11, embraced home schooling – both achieving student of the week several times – while handling the unexpected death of their grandmother Linda Harrison.

The youngsters, who are pupils at Quarrydale Academy at Sutton discovered on New Year’s Eve that Linda, 72, who lived off Big Barn Lane in Mansfield – had lung cancer that had spread to her brain. Sadly, her condition was incurable.

Tracy said “It came completely out of the blue, she had shown no symptoms until a few days before Christmas. Both my kids were determined to spend precious time with their grandma. They adored her.

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“They would knuckle down with their schoolwork everyday and then as soon as it was done, we'd go straight to help look after grandma until she was in bed each night. Their teachers are so delighted with them and have called me several times to say how well they are doing despite what they have coped with.

"Kayleigh did this every night for four weeks only missing one, and both helped and gave grandma lots of hugs and kisses until the very end. They were very close. The family were all with her at the end.

"She died on February 10, but despite losing their grandma, both have not let this affect their school work. In my eyes, they are both superstars and extremely loving and caring kids that have handled the whole situation amazingly.

"I am extremely proud and I know their grandma was too. They really are lockdown heroes!”

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Linda was employed for 30 years at the Oak Tree Pub, on Southwell Road, in Mansfield.

She had worked behind the bar and been a cleaner in recent years and was married to mining pump station electrician John Harrison, who had just retired when Linda’s received her devastating diagnosis.

Linda’s funeral takes place on Wednesday, March 10, at Mansfield Crematorium. The numbers are limited, due to coronavirus restrictions.

Her former colleagues at the Oak Tree pub are planning a balloon release in her memory.

Linda leaves her husband John, three children and three grand-children.