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Canterbury: The funeral of homeless mum Shelly Pollard to take place at Barham Crematorium

09:52, 20 April 2018

updated: 13:39, 20 April 2018

The funeral of tragic homeless mum Shelly Pollard is set to take place at Barham Crematorium.

Heartbroken brother Steve Pollard of Merchants Way launched a crowd-funding campaign so Shelly's three sons could give their mum a proper send-off.

But family friend Kathleen Robinson has launched a last minute bid to fund a car to for her children, two of which are in foster care, to travel in.

Shelly Pollard (1569823)
Shelly Pollard (1569823)

Ms Robinson said £1,400 has paid for a service which will take place next Tuesday and they have also hired a hall to provide tea and cake.

Shelly, 42, collapsed on the city's streets near where she used to sit by the Eastbridge almshouse on March 22.

Paramedics battled to save her but she later died in hospital.

Mum Sue of Merchants Way paid tribute to her daughter saying her ‘lovely girl’ never recovered after her father shockingly collapsed and died in Dover town centre five years ago.

She said: “She was always a lovely girl with a nice personality - you could not wish for a better kid. I used to go down and sit with her a lot.

"I basically saw her died in front of me which was not very nice - I was praying and always thought she would get better and have her boys back that’s all I wished for.

"My husband died the same way Shelly did; - she never got over it.”

Shelly lost her flat and then, shockingly, her boyfriend died which led her further into drug dependency and then onto the streets.

But during her eight years sleeping rough the former Canterbury High pupil became a much-loved member of the community with the people of the city remembering her as being polite and thoughtful to all those she spoke to.

To donate towards funeral costs visit the Shelley Pollard funeral fund-raising page.

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