WHEN Laura Newland tragically died a year ago, her mother Marion was devastated.

Nobody should have to bury their own children, after all. On top of her loss was the fact that two youngsters had lost their mother.

So Marion stepped in for the sake of seven week old Jaxson and Laura’s older son Callum.

It must have been so difficult to do that – her grandchildren reminding her of her daughter but knowing the lovely legacy she had left behind.

Most of us cannot imagine how Marion has got through it.

It is still difficult now and she has told us it has been a year of ups and downs.

Callum, quite understandably, still misses his mother and Marion does everything she can to help those two boys.

That is why it was such an honour for Argus chief reporter Emily Walker to present Marion with her Argus Community Stars award naming her grandparent of the year in recognition of her dedication to the boys.

We are delighted that Marion has accepted the award and wish her all the best.

She is an inspirational woman and the smiles at the party on Friday show how much she has done for her grieving family.

The happy faces came after tears of joy had been shed in a celebration of Laura’s life.

Laura had been training as a makeup artist and hairdresser at City College Brighton and Hove when she died.

A year ago Marion told us how she always did so much for her children.

She added: “Since the day Laura was born she was more precious than a pearl and she blossomed into a loving, caring mother who always put her two boys above anything else.”

It sounds to us as if Laura took after her mother well.