THE mum of a trainee nurse, who collapsed and died on the first day of her student placement at Warrington Hospital, has paid tribute to her caring daughter. 

Lucy Bethany Blackburn, 20, described as ‘a big sister’ to her fellow student nurses, is believed to have suffered an epileptic seizure just hours before finishing her first shift.

Her shocked colleagues found her collapsed in the toilets on Tuesday shortly before 6.45pm, and raised the alarm but attempts to revive her failed.

The former Burnley College student from Hapton shared a poignant Snapchat on the day she died, of a picture of her feet and told her friends: ‘Only two hours left’.

Lucy’s mum Susan Thorley, 44, paid tribute to her ‘kind-hearted’ daughter as she gathered on Wednesday with Lucy’s friends and family to mourn her loss.

She said: “She went on a break and she was late back so the hospital staff went looking for her.

“The last thing she did was a Snapchat and she texted one of her colleagues before it happened.

“I got the phone call at 7.15pm and found out for definite at 8.20pm. The hospital had been working on her for two hours. They found her in the toilets at 6.45pm.”

Lucy was a second year student nurse studying a Bachelors Nursing degree at the University of Chester and living on the university’s Warrington Campus.

She was on her second year first day placement when she died but had worked at the hospital a year before.

The former Hambledon Community College pupil found out she had epilepsy five years ago but if anything it ‘pushed her harder’ to succeed said Susan.

Susan added that since her daughter’s death she has been inundated by messages of support on Facebook.

She said: “I didn’t realise and I don’t think Lucy realised how popular she was. She touched everybody’s heart.

“She was a real family person and she was really loyal to all her friends. She just wanted to be a nurse. And now I hope she is in a happy place with her grandma and granddad.”

Lucy, a fan of One Direction and Harry Potter, was never seen out without her trademark red lipstick.

Susan said: “She wanted to be a teacher but when she did work experience it put her off so she changed her mind.

“It was when she looked after her grandma that she decided to become a nurse. She loved looking after disabled and elderly people.”

Lucy had also worked at Gainsborough House in Warrington a care home which has residents with dementia.

Susan added: “They all knew her by her first name and on the wards at the hospital when she was there. The last thing she did was take me for tea last week.”

Lucy’s friends remembered a girl with a loud laugh who dressed up as a fairy in contrast with her friends’ scary outfits to go to a Halloween party.

Trainee nurse, Beth Higginson, 21, from Oswaldtwistle, said she was at her boyfriend’s house when she was told the sad news about Lucy.

“The girls found out before me and rang me as soon as they knew. I just broke down.

“She was a big sister to the nurses. It was my 21 birthday a few weeks ago and Lucy organised the meal and present. She always got people together. She was just a massive part of this group.

“Lucy was passionate about nursing and wanted to do a PHD and Masters in Nursing. She was dedicated and determined. She was an inspirational nurse.

“Lucy and I went to the same college and I had a lot of mutual friends with Lucy. It was so comforting to have someone there when I first started university.

“Lucy never went anywhere without her red lipstick.”

As well as her mum Lucy leaves behind her stepdad Craig, sister Kia, 14, and brother Mac, 15.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend her funeral next week.

Everyone is welcome to celebrate Lucy’s life at a service of remembrance on December 10 at All Saints Church, Burnley at 2.30pm and later a special balloon release in her honour.