Octomum dead at 56 after tragic life that saw her lose all eight babies

Mandy Allwood, the mum who gave birth to eight babies she ended up having to bury, has died, aged 56, after a battle with cancer.

The British mother made headlines all over the world when, 26 years ago, she announced she was expecting octuplets.

At 24 weeks gestation, she gave birth to six boys and two girls. The labours took three days and three nights. None of the babies survived.

Over the following months, the world followed Allwood's grief, as the octomum mourned the loss of her babies.

She was even comforted by Princess Diana, who met her weeks after the tragedy.

The eight babies were buried in tiny white coffins. Photo / Getty Images

Allwood went on to have three other children but those close to her say she never overcame the trauma of losing her eight babies.

She reportedly experienced phantom pregnancies and another devastating loss when she split from partner Paul Hudson.

It was around that time that she sought refuge in alcohol.

In November 2007, she was arrested for driving while three times over the limit. Her three children were in the car with her.

The incident led to her losing custody of her children and eventually becoming estranged from her whole family.

According to The Sun, Allwood will be cremated today, in a service funded by the local council, without any mourners present.

A friend of the octomum told the media outlet that a group of her friends would raise a glass in her honour tonight.

"It's very sad that she won't have anyone at her funeral. They just say a little prayer and it's all over in five minutes I think," her friend Mark Beard told The Sun.

"She just didn't have anybody really and I don't think she was in touch with her family at all. It's a shame," he added.

"The flowers are going to be brought back here and put on the bar and around a dozen of us will be raising a glass to her. We wanted to mark it somehow. It only seems right."

Mandy Allwood and Paul Hudson in 1997. Photo / Getty Images

Allwood named her octuplets Kypros, Adam, Martyn, Cassius, Nelson, Donald, Kitali and Layne. Images of their tiny white coffins circulated around the globe at the time of their funerals.

At the time, she spoke of having to go through each of the miscarriages.

"Over three days and nights I miscarried eight times," she said.

"I cradled each of them for two and a half hours as they died in my arms. It was horrible. Truly horrible.

"When I felt the last one coming, I said, 'Please, God, let at least one of them live'."

Over the years, she continued to lay flowers for all eight children at the cemetery in South London.