The courage of a Dunmow woman, who battled to save her two children who suffered with Batten's disease, has won her the title of one of the seven bravest women in Britain by a women's magazine.

Carmen Daniels, 32, from Laurel Drive, and her husband Barry cared for their two children Rhys and Charlie, doing everything to make their last days as comfortable as possible.

But even while the couple cared for their children during the traumatic time, they worked to set up a trust to raise money for other children enduring hospital treatment, which is why Best magazine voted Carmen one of the seven bravest women in the country.

The Rhys Daniel Trust, now in its sixth year, helped set up Home from Home in Bristol, which offers homes to families whose children are receiving hospital treatment away from where they live, over a long period of time.

Louise Court, editor of Best said: "Carmen's story is truly inspirational. Many of us in the office watched with awe how Carmen coped with her children's illnesses so stoically and then had to suffer their loss within seven weeks of each other."

Carmen, who now has two other children, Bliss, four and Hope, nearly two months old, said she was shocked, but delighted to find out she had been awarded the title.

"I was completely shocked, but very pleased. This is the first time we have won anything, except when Rhys won the Children of Courage award.

"All of the other six women were awarded for completely different things. I hope this will be something to show that women and mothers in the world are recognised," she said.

Carmen added that the trust hopes to set up more Home from Home places around the country.

"What this offers is families the chance to make living arrangements more like a home when their child is receiving any hospital treatment and they are away from home.

''We are currently setting one up in Liverpool and hope to do the same in the London area," she said.

Louise Court added: "We found it a hugely difficult job to select our seven bravest women in Britain, but Carmen's courage simply shone out."

Right: Carmen, holding baby Hope, gets a big hug from Bliss, after hearing she had been awarded the title of one of the bravest women in Britain.

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