BIRTHDAY cards line the window sill at a quiet suburban house writes Terri Jones

They celebrated the 76th birthday of grandmother Ellen Crank.

Just one day later she lay murdered -- the victim of a frenzied knife attack in her own home.

The popular pensioner had enjoyed a birthday bingo night out before her horrific death.

On Thursday her best friend spoke of the horror of finding Mrs Crank's blood stained body on the kitchen floor of her home in Kingscourt Avenue, Brownlow Fold, Bolton.

Last Thursday Joyce Smith had enjoyed a birthday meal at her house and the pair were due to meet again on Saturday night. But Mrs Crank never turned up.

Her worried friend called round on Sunday and made the horrific discovery.

She said: "I went round at about 1.30pm and was surprised that the door was open.

"Then I saw her lying on the kitchen floor. Ellen had lovely curly hair, but you couldn't even tell it was curly there was so much blood. I rang an ambulance, but she was cold.

"I think in a way it was better that I found her. I think she would have wanted to be found by a friend, rather than a stranger."

Police believe Mrs Crank was killed on Friday night after returning from playing bingo at the Victory Community Centre on Chorley Old Road.

Mrs Smith, aged 74, has known Mrs Crank since she and her husband Stanley moved in 30 years ago, but it was not until Stanley died six years ago that the pair became close friends.

The women saw each other regularly and spent time chatting and watching television and films.

Mrs Smith said: "Ellen was mad on Kevin Costner and Richard Gere. We must have watched Pretty Woman four times.

"It was lovely having someone to enjoy life with. We were interested in the same things.

"We used to go shopping together and she would always tell me exactly what she thought. She was very straight talking."

They had also enjoyed numerous holidays together, including trips to the Isle of Wight, Scotland and Newquay where they were due to return this summer.

"Ellen loved bingo, but I could never follow it so when we were on holiday I used to pay Ellen and she played for me, then we would split anything we won."

Mrs Smith described her friend as a jolly person who chatted to anyone she came across in the area and said the one thing she would remember would be her strong opinions.

Alan and Maureen Brown lived next-door-but-one to Mrs Crank for almost 10 years. Mr Brown was the last person to see Mrs Crank alive.

"I was locking the gates at about 9pm when she came back from bingo," he said.

"We said hello, then she went inside. I didn't hear anything else after that, so nothing could have happened straight away."

The Brown's described their neighbour as a fit woman who walked everywhere and said she was known in the area for the Morrisons bag she used to carry her purse in.

Mrs Brown said: "Ellen was mugged twice. She was determined not to let those people keep her in -- that was what she was like."

Mrs Crank enjoyed calling in at the Elgin Street Labour Club for half a pint of lager.

She was known for her caring nature and, being the eldest of five -- with one sister still living in Bolton and another in Preston -- her family was very important to her.

Her only son, Stanley lives in Bolton .