Clevedon Mercury journalist Katharine Rainey has died. She had been battling with ovarian cancer.

Known as Kat to her friends and colleagues, she had worked as a reporter at the Clevedon Mercury since June 2001, after training at the Editorial Centre in Hastings.

The 23-year-old (pictured) was also a keen sports woman, playing football, hockey and netball at county level. Her ambition was to be a sports journalist.

But in April this year, just as her reporting career was beginning to flourish, Kat was diagnosed as having a rare form of ovarian cancer.

She showed tremendous courage to fight the disease, receiving treatment at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol and despite a harrowing course of chemotheraphy she continued to work until a fortnight before her death.

Clevedon Mercury editor Carol Deacon said Kat had persistence and creativity, with lots of ideas for news stories.

She said: "Everyone will miss her wonderful personality and the professional way she did her job."

A memorial service will be held on Monday at Silver Street Methodist Church, Nailsea, and anyone who knew her is welcome to attend. It will be followed by a private family crematorium at Weston.

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