BLACKBURN Cathedral’s oldest regular worshipper, Dorothy Green, died on Sunday aged 104.

The former Ribble Valley mayoress was described as part of the “collective memory” of Lancashire’s premier Christian church.

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Born in Oldham and a friend of famous composer William Walton, Mrs Green trained as a ballet dancer at the Royal Northern College of Music.

She married Fred, who became general manager of the Blackburn Times newspaper and a Ribble Valley councillor.

Mrs Green was his mayoress when he became the third mayor of the newly created borough in 1976-77.

Her funeral will be held at the cathedral at 10am next Thursday, It will be attended by Ribble Valley’s current first citizen, Michael Ranson, and his wife Janette.

Formerly resident at Kemp Court, Whalley Road, Wilpshire, she spent her last years in Longworth House residential home in Mellor and is survived by daughter Valerie.

Mrs Green was a former ladies’ captain and lady president at Wilpshire Golf Club and was heavily involved with the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity.

Cathedral Canon Sacrist Andrew Hindley said: “She will be much missed.

“She was much loved and last attended the Christmas Day morning service with her daughter.

“Dorothy was the oldest member of our congregation and part of the cathedral’s collective memory.

“A remarkable woman, She was born in Oldham and trained as a ballet dancer in Manchester, travelling in on the train with William Walton, who composed the 1937 Coronation March ‘Crown Imperial’.

“She and Fred were a big part of Blackburn life and the cathedral’s life. He was a chorister for many decades and head church warden till his death aged 94 in 2001. Fred too had a cathedral funeral.”

Coun Ranson said: “Dorothy was a part of a past era of Ribble Valley life and the borough’s history. I have known her since childhood. My mother Ellen was a friend of Fred’s and he sang in the cathedral choir with her brothers.

“She was formidable lady and remained very sharp.

“I last saw her on her 100th birthday.

“Fred was a Conservative councillor for Wilpshire for many years and he and Dorothy attended mayoral functions at the borough for many years.”

A friend of Mrs Green for 42 years, Peta Pritchard, said: “She was a marvellous woman. I saw her last Tuesday when we had a good laugh together.”