THE first female groundsman at Bristol City Football Club has died after a seven year battle with multiple sclerosis. Caroline Sterling, of Kipling Road, Weston, died on Valentine's Day aged 35. She leaves two daughters, Emily, aged 11, and Ashley, aged s

THE first female groundsman at Bristol City Football Club has died after a seven year battle with multiple sclerosis.Caroline Sterling, of Kipling Road, Weston, died on Valentine's Day aged 35. She leaves two daughters, Emily, aged 11, and Ashley, aged six.Her partner of 15 years, Frank, said: "Caroline was simply the best thing that ever happened to me."She did her best after she was diagnosed with MS and tried to be as happy and forward thinking as she could."She even carried on with her love of gardening for as long as she could and then bossed me around to do it."After studying horticulture at college in Manchester, Caroline's passion for gardening got her the groundbreaking job at Bristol City FC at the age of 18.Best friend Jo Hughes met Caroline when they both started at Clevedon Comprehensive School aged 13. She said: "We were inseparable as teenagers."She always loved plants and flowers and used to try to teach me the Latin names, but I could never remember the difference between a primrose and a primula."She had a wicked sense of humour and she loved Manchester United."As kids she used to drive me crazy going on about her heart-throb, Bryan Robson. We used to sit and watch football and I always supported the side playing against Manchester United to wind her up. She even made a footballer out of a traffic cone, some paint and a makeshift wig once. It sat in her bedroom for ages."She didn't suffer fools gladly and when she was diagnosed with MS she put on a brave face and got on with things. That's why it was such a shock when she died. She will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her."Caroline's funeral was held on Wednesday.