A DAUGHTER has paid tribute to her ‘amazing’ mum following her death in Rochford.

Maria Devlin, 57, of Ashingdon Heights, Rochford died on March 30, 2022, from a series of stomach and heart issues.

An inquest was opened into her death on Monday, October 16, by area coroner Sonia Hayes in Essex Coroner’s Court, Chelmsford.

Following the inquest Maria’s daughter Claudia, paid tribute to her mother.

She said: “She was such a larger than life figure and an amazing mum, a very warm and engaging figure loved by her friends and family.

“Mum was so smart as well, she had a degree in French Literature. She always prioritised education and helping myself and my brother Cameron through schooling.

“She was so proud of us and was so talented and productive, she had two great careers in business and cared so much about being a great friend and mum.”

Maria was born in Belfast and she married her husband Chris in 1989.

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The couple subsequently they began a family in Hockley and Ashingdon as their children Claudia and Cameron were born in 1993 and 1999 respectively.

Maria was known as a ‘wonderful’ cook which she attributed to her gap year teaching in Belgium

She was also a talented dancer and choreographer, leading the team that came second in the Northern Ireland heat of a ballroom dancing competition judged by Len Goodman in the 1980s.

Claudia added: “Mum loved celebrating other people, she would make Christmases and birthdays such huge things in our house.

“For my 14th birthday she organised this big celebration which would’ve been every teenage girls dream, it was this big makeover party.

“She would make Christmas so real for us, she put so much effort into creating Santa’s footprints on snow and even bought a snow machine, mum would make everything as magic as possible.”

Prior to Maria’s death, several 999 calls were made before help arrived at the scene.

The first call was made at 5.30pm before paramedics arrived at 12.30am the following day.

The inquest has been adjourned and will continue in December.