Family pay tribute to "happy" and "beautiful" Preston mum who died suddenly aged 39

Family and friends are grieving the death of Emma Bleasdale who died after collapsing at her home in Garstang Road, Broughton on Easter Monday (April 5), leaving behind her three-year-old daughter Ellen.

Emma's tragic death happened just days after she had been discharged from Blackpool Victoria Hospital following a previous collapse at her home on Friday, March 26.

Following her initial collapse, she had been rushed to hospital and placed on a ventilator after she was found unconscious in her bath, says her friend Kimberley Winward.

Emma underwent an emergency procedure to help her breathe and remained on a ventilator in ICU for 24 hours before she regained consciousness.

She was kept in hospital for a number of days and underwent tests to try and discover what had led to her collapse, before she was discharged on Thursday (April 1).

Ms Winward said medics were unable to establish what had happened to Emma, but her friend said she had returned home in good spirits after the health scare and had been looking forward to spending the Easter holidays with her young daughter and their family.

"We all prayed because it didn't look good," said her close friend Ms Winward.

"But they brought her round I think on the Saturday or Sunday. Originally she was told she would be in over the Easter weekend but they discharged her on the Thursday before as they said she seemed OK.

"They had no idea what had caused it and still don't as far as I'm aware."

But just days after returning home, Emma collapsed again on Easter Monday.

Kimberley said Emma's frantic mum gave her daughter CPR in a desperate bid to save her, whilst paramedics rushed to the home. But Emma was sadly pronounced dead a short time later.

The cause of her death is yet to be confirmed, but her family say the 39-year-old had "no serious health conditions".

She had recently started a new job and had told her mum that she was "the happiest she had ever been" and was "living the dream".

Speaking to the Post, her heartbroken father Phil Bleasdale shared his family's grief at losing a "beautiful, kind and generous daughter".

He said: "Our Emma was so kind, she was so beautiful. I was so proud of her and we loved her very much.

"It’s like someone has switched out a light and I am wandering in the dark. She had recently told her mum that she was the happiest she had ever been, she was living the dream.

"We don’t know yet why she has left us but whatever the reason is, it won’t change what has happened or bring her back.

"We will always love and cherish the wonderful life we had with her and cling onto the memories.

"We will look after your beautiful amazing daughter Ellen and help bring her up the way you had planned, giving her all the love, support and encouragement you would have given her."

Friends of Miss Bleasdale say they remain shocked by the 39-year-old's sudden passing. Ms Winward, 38, who had been close friends with Emma for many years, says she has been left "broken" by her death.

She said: "I lost my dad when he was 49 and I was 20 and my Nan recently, but nothing prepares you for losing your friend like this.

"She had no health conditions or anything, so this was all a shock. She had actually been on a "get fit for 40 campaign" and had been running 10k every day and had lost over three stone.

"So it makes no sense. She said running was her moving meditation and she was doing yoga everyday too. She had also just started a new job. It's very traumatic.

“She was an incredible lady, so smart, a fantastic mother and so caring and thoughtful.”