The England forward Beth Mead has paid tribute to her “beautiful, kind and funny mum”, who has died from ovarian cancer. The Arsenal player used social media to confirm that her mother, June Mead, had “passed away peacefully” last Saturday. Beth Mead posted on Instagram and Twitter: “Thought long and hard about what to write but there will never be any words that will do justice. At 1am on the 7th of Jan, our beautiful, kind, funny Mum & Wife passed away after a long & brave battle against Ovarian Cancer. “She was surrounded by myself, my brother & dad as she passed away peacefully. Our hearts are broken, there will be a piece missing forever but heaven has now gained a special angel. “If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever. I’m sad that you are gone, but I’m more grateful for the time we had together. Our family would appreciate some privacy during this difficult time. We love you lots, forever & always. RIP Mama.” Alongside the tribute Mead posted a variety of pictures of her mother, some showing her mum supporting the Lionesses at last year’s European Championship, which England won. Although Mead’s season has been cut short by an ACL injury, the 27-year-old has been recognised for her contributions on the pitch. In December she won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year and was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list, and her performances have earned a nomination for the Best Fifa women’s player award.