At the age of 75, Di Coffey has had her first poetry pamphlet published and all profits from sales are going to the Multiple Sclerosis Society UK.

Di said: "It was a thrill in January this year when Sue Sims, editor of Poetry Space, approached me asking if she could publish a collection of some of my autobiographical poems. I was, at that time, still coming to terms with a diagnosis of secondary breast cancer so Sue's call was a huge morale boost.

"My darling husband, Dermot, to whom I was married for 51 years, was severely disabled by MS and I nursed him for 17 years till his death at home in 2010.

"I'm Falmouth, born and bred although I've spent chunks of my life in Hampstead and in Scotland. Two years ago, I returned to my beloved home town where I now live in my tiny but delightful flat with my dog and cat.

"I've scribbled all my life and have had pieces published in the Observer and the Guardian. In 2014, I won the first prize in The Swansea Writers' National Short Story Competition and several of my poems have also won prizes or been shortlisted in competitions.

"Orders for copies of The Tugboatman's Daughter are coming in hourly via my website largely due to the very positive comments from kind people who have already read my poetry pamphlet and are posting their comments on my Timeline on Facebook.

"Last October my oncologist said I had perhaps another year to live so I'm making the very most of it. Anyway, I hope to hang on here in this crazy old world of ours for as long as possible."

Details of Di's book and a recording of her reading, Dubliner, can be found on www.thetugboatmansdaughter.co.uk.