And it was the warmth and love shown her by her future mother-in-law Elizabeth Mullen that prompted Margaret to nominate her for the Evening Times Mother's Day Competition. She also wanted to give her something to look forward to after under going treatment for cancer, after being diagnosed in December.

But, as Margaret, 52, who lives in North Kelvinside, said in her nomination: "She knows the treatment won't cure her but she doesn't get down about it."

It was this attitude which won Elizabeth, 69, the top prize in our competition which was run in conjunction with the St Enoch Centre and includes an £850 shopping spree at the centre.

Margaret will also enjoy lunch at Kimble's up to the value of £100 and receive a bouquet worth £50.

Margaret first met Elizabeth three years ago when she got engaged to her son, Kevin McFadyen, 48. She had lost her mother when she was 26 and her father when she was 36, and said Elizabeth welcomed her with open arms.

She said: "She was great, just accepted me straight away. She was really nice. I am an only child, I lost both my parents and was made to feel very welcome."

And Margaret says Elizabeth remains upbeat despite her illness. She said: "She is coping very well. She has great spirit although she has lost her hair and lost a lot of weight."

Elizabeth, who lives with her husband Hugh, 70, said: "I didn't know I was nominated but am very pleased to win. Margaret is such a nice girl to think about nominating me. It will be a lovely day."

Five runners-up will also receive flowers and chocolates.

Margaret Strachan, 67, from Springboig, was entered by her daughter Christine Forbes. 37. Margaret has osteoporosis, deafness, blindness in one eye and skin cancer, and is currently awaiting an operation to remove a melanoma from her face.

Runner up mum-of-two Frances Ferrie, 43, from Newlands, has been battling cancer for the past two years. Her daughter, Rebecca, 16, says Frances has done a fantastic job of looking after her and her sister, Anita, four.

Grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of two, Joan Adams, 68, from Knightswood is also a runner-up. The mother of three, who was nominated by her daughter, Catriona Gibson, 37, has always looked after her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with great kindness and care.

Mum-of-three Noreen Dooley, 57, from Castlemilk, who suffers from cervical cancer, is another runner-up. She was nominated by her daughter Kathleen, 32.

Our fifth runner-up, mum-of-four Linda Judge, was nominated by her son, John, who praised her hard work despite battling a number of illnesses.