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The shop-girl-turned-entrepreneur, who died in March aged 91, donated millions to charitable works in her hometown over the years, earning her the nickname 'the Mother of Fleetwood' .

And Doreen's generosity looks set to continue even after her death, with the Sun revealing that she has left most of her £41 million fortune to charity.

The paper reports that Doreen left £325,000 to be shared among her gardeners, secretaries and housekeepers, and bequeathed her jewellery to the wife of her surviving son from her first marriage.

Doreen Lofthouse's dream became reality when the statue of Eros was mounted on its plinth ready for unveiling in 1999. The statue, which Doreen paid for, acts as a welcome to her hometown of Fleetwood, located as it is, in the middle of the roundabout on Amounderness Way

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But the rest - a whopping £41.4 million - has reportedly been left to the 'Lofthouse Foundation', which Doreen and her family set up in 1994 to help refurbish her hometown.

Since then, Doreen's 'Lofthouse Foundation' has funded millions of pounds of good works in Fleetwood, whilst earning her both an OBE and MBE. She was also made Freeman of the Borough of Wyre for her charity work.

This included investing £1.6 million into the renovation of Fleetwood Hospital and millions more into other civic works, including a new children's playground, improvements to the promenade and part of Fleetwood's shopping centre - now named Fisherman's Walk.

Mrs Lofthouse was made an OBE by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on July 3, 2008. Photo: Martin Keene / PA Wire.

Mrs Lofthouse also funded the statue of Eros, which sits proudly at the gateway to Fleetwood in the middle of the busy Amounderness Way roundabout.

After her death in March, Coun Mary Stirzaker, chairman of Fleetwood Town Council, said: "Mrs Lofthouse's legacy will live on in Fleetwood.

"She was an incredible benefactor for Fleetwood and was always proud of the town she came from."

From shop girl to business pioneer and philanthropist

The shop-girl-turned-entrepreneur, who died in March aged 91, donated millions to charitable works in her hometown, earning her the nickname 'the Mother of Fleetwood'

Shop worker Doreen, who left school with no qualifications, quickly realised the potential of the eucalyptus and menthol sweets after taking over the company in 1963.

She transformed its fortunes by convincing shopkeepers, including Boots, to stock the cough sweets. Five billion packets of Fisherman's Friends are now sold in more than 100 countries every year.

Doreen leaves behind a son from her first marriage, Duncan, who still runs the business.

Fisherman's Friend tycoon Doreen Lofthouse left £41 million fortune to charity

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