THE DAUGHTER of a Flintshire woman who died after collapsing in a Sainsbury's store has paid tribute to her and to those in the shop who provided emergency care.
Two air ambulances were called to the incident at the Sainsbury's Local shop on Mercia Drive in Mynydd Isa on Monday morning.
An air ambulance at the scene of the incident in Mynydd Isa. (Image: User generated content)
Despite all care and efforts of staff and shoppers, Mary Beatrice Clarke, known affectionately as 'Bea', sadly died later that day at Glan Clwyd Hospital.
Staff and shoppers heroically tried to save 73-year-old Bea, with a defibrillator taken from the nearby Caffi Isa community centre, as staff undertook CPR.
The defibrillator was used by staff of the Sainsbury's store, and Speeds Pharmacy - which sits next door, until the emergency services arrived.
Among those assisting were two ex-police officers, and an off-duty nurse.
A relative of a staff member at the store who assisted with the incident said: "Sainsbury's should be extremely proud of its staff's actions, as well as its customers.
"Staff were deeply affected as they know most customers in this local store. The story has a sad ending but it demonstrates the lengths that people can go to in a crisis."
And Bea's daughter, Katherine, has paid a touching tribute to her mum and to those who went "above and beyond" in their attempts to save her life.
She said: "The way everyone in the shop acted was simply amazing. They did everything they could to keep mum alive until the emergency services arrived.
"I worked in a supermarket for years and what those staff members, and members of the public, did was well above and beyond what you could ever expect in that situation."
She continued: "My dad (Peter) has COPD, and the way the staff looked after him in the shop was just absolutely brilliant. I can't thank them enough.
"And the emergency services were fantastic, too. They even flew in a doctor on a second air ambulance. They worked to save her all the way to Glan Clwyd in the ambulance.
"I just want to say the most heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped her."
Mary and her husband, Peter. (Image: Family photo)
Paying tribute to her mum, Katherine said: "She really was the first person to help anyone, anywhere. She worked as a councillor in the Curzon/Lache area of Chester in the late 1970s and early 80s, and the amount of people she helped, and what she did for people is amazing.
"It's so fitting that people rushed to help her - as she'd spent her lifetime helping others.
"She'd had two triple bypass operations, but she refused to take it easy. She looked after my dad so well and would never accept help from anyone, a fiercely independent woman who was loved by so many."
Bea lived in Mynydd Isa for the past 30 years, and was a hugely popular member of the community.
"Every morning she'd pop into the Sainsbury's shop and get her next door neighbour a paper," Kathrine said.
"The staff there absolutely adored her, they said she was like family."
Bea leaves behind husband, Peter, her daughter Katherine and son Eric, as well as her three grandchildren who she "absolutely worshipped".
She was a member of Padeswood Golf Club, where she was hugely popular - and was a "huge" Manchester United fan.
Katherine added: "She was just such a character, she'd have banter with everyone. She'll be very sadly missed and leaves a big hole in the community."
Bea and her family. (Image: Family photo)
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