POETRY composed by a much-loved teacher about her experiences of cancer is to be launched posthumously next week.

Sadly, Christine Cochrane, of Kirkby Lonsdale, died last month before seeing her poems make it into print.

Next Wednesday friends and fellow writers will gather at the town's St Mary's Church to launch her debut poetry collection.

Christine worked in the Foreign Office in London and Munich before spending 30 years at Casterton School teaching German and Latin.

She became head of languages, and students fondly recall her "great enthusiasm and joie de vivre".

After retiring she set her sights on the Open University and wrote a short story collection, "Shifting Sands".

She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015, and it was while studying for an MA in Creative Writing that she captured in verse her experiences of living with the disease.

Written with wry, gentle humour, she gave her poems the title "Room", as they contrasted the big skies, fields and beaches of Scotland's east coast, her beloved childhood home, with the claustrophobic spaces of hospital rooms and scanners.

She said, at the time: "I hope to help anyone dealing with chronic illness. Creative writing has proved to be one of the most effective medicines I have tried.

"I recommend it to anyone who has to enter "Cancerland". That, and a good sense of humour.”

Christine died in March, having resolved to "pass up" any more hospital rooms and to "sit in the sun and eat cake" while awaiting her book from the publishers. She is survived by her husband, Iain.

"Room" will be launched on Wednesday at 11am at St Mary's Church with local poetry group Write on the Farm. There will be poetry readings, coffee and cakes. Donations are to be shared between the church and Target Ovarian Cancer.