Merseyside mum-of-ten dies after two-month fight against Covid-19

A "loving" mum-of-ten, who lived on Merseyside, has died after a two-month battle with Covid-19, that she originally thought was a "bad cold".

Sharon Winsper, from Seaforth, fell ill in October. She began struggling with her breath and was rushed to Aintree Hospital, in Liverpool, where she was put into a coma.

She was cared for in intensive care for five weeks, making slow progress, until she caught an infection and "declined overnight".

Sharon died on Thursday 9 December, at the age of 54, with her family at her side.

"She had no fight left as this infection was quite severe and left her unable to breath by herself due to the damage in her lungs", Sharon's daughter, Kerry, explains.

"The family was called in to say our goodbyes and she passed away peacefully with us all at her bedside holding her hand."

Sharon leaves behind ten children - Terry 35, Kerry, 32, Louise, 30, Sarah, 29, Kevin 27, Dale 25, Melissa, 21, James 20, Crystal, 19, and Angelica, 17.

Her family say Sharon, who worked as a psychic medium in Liverpool, was a "fun, loving and kind" woman who befriended everyone she met.

"Mum was too young to die," Kerry said. "She celebrated her 54th birthday in hospital last month - we thought we would have a lot more years with her to make more memories.

"Mum was a kind-hearted, loving mother and couldn't do enough for anyone. She just thought it was a bad cold at first and spent about a week in bed, but then it got to the point she was struggling to breathe."

Originally from Birmingham, she moved to Merseyside ten years ago to live by the sea, which "she always loved".

Her family are fundraising for to be laid to rest at a cemetery in her home city where her daughter, Grace, and father are both buried.

They have launched a GoFundMe page to raise £4,500 to help towards funeral costs and to return Sharon’s body.

“The family know she wanted to be laid to rest in the same cemetery as Grace," Kerry said.

"She was not just our mum, but our best friend. We were always on the phone to her.

"All this planning we have to do for the funeral, my mum would be the one person I would phone and ask her opinion on stuff like this.

"Then I have to remember that it's my mum I'm planning this for, and that's heartbreaking."

Balloons are set to be released in memory of Sharon on Sunday 19 December, at Hall Road Beach in Crosby.