TRIBUTES have been paid to the daughter of Bolton Wanderers legend Nat Lofthouse, who died on Boxing Day.

Vivien Lofthouse passed away in her sleep, aged 64, at about 5am, following a battle with cancer.

She formerly worked as a police officer in Bolton, but moved to Spain after she was forced to take early retirement in 1996.

Vivien was diagnosed with cancer in October 2015, and her condition began to improve following treatment. However, she suffered a setback last Christmas and found the disease had spread to her legs. As her condition deteriorated, she developed a brain tumour and lost sight in her eyes.

She did not marry and had no children, but followed in her father’s footsteps as a lover of sport. She was a keen hockey and golf player, and was a member at both Dunscar and Turton Golf Clubs.

After moving to Spain, she lived in Benidorm before moving to Sax, Alicante.

Her father died in 2011, aged 85, and friends say the pair were ‘very close’.

In a statement, her brother Jeff and his wife Michele said: “Vivien and I lived separate lives because I have always lived and worked abroad, but we came together and became much closer in the last year.

“Michele and I have been visiting her back and forth from my home in France and have been impressed by how strong she was battling her illness.

"She goes with our love."

Vivien’s close friend and former golfing partner, Pearl Brown, said: “Viv has been a very good friend since we were in our 20s. She was a lovely woman and had a great sense of humour. I shall miss her.”

A spokesperson for Bolton Wanderers said: “The club is saddened to hear of the passing of Nat Lofthouse’s daughter Vivien. Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.”