THE oldest woman in East Lancashire, who was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Hyndburn, has died at the age of 109.

Alice Horne, of Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, passed away peacefully on Friday night in her own home with her nephew Kenneth Horne and his partner by her side after her health had begun to decline.

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But Mr Horne said she was a fighter and had lived the fullest life imaginable meeting famous people including Prince Charles, Patrick Moore and Bob Monkhouse due to achieving countless prizes in sport and doing endless charity work.

He said: "I don't think I'm amazed that she lived to the age she did, because she never looked her age or behaved it and she just seemed to keep going.

"She just had this strong spirit and it has been a tremendous pleasure to carry on visiting her for so long and taking her out in Lancashire, because she never sat still and always had to be doing something.

"I have so many fond memories of Auntie Alice and she accomplished so much."

Miss Horne, originally from her beloved Alloa in Scotland and the eldest of nine children, learnt to swim aged 70 and became involved with the Disabled Association for Sport in Hyndburn taking part in javelin, bowling and darts events.

In 1986 she was named Britain's most active pensioner.

She was also awarded Freedom of the Borough in 2005 in recognition of her extensive charity work.

Miss Horne, who never married, cheated death on many occasions, surviving polio as a three-year-old and being buried under the rubble of a matchstick factory after the German blitz on Liverpool.

At age 50, an accident left her confined to a wheelchair and in 2005 she was attacked by intruders who attempted to steal from her home.

The keen knitter, who moved to Lancashire in 1927, also had a number of careers working as a nanny and in nursing as well as taking on supervisory roles and working in the mills.

Mr Horne said that in her whole life, she never gave in to old age and every second was filled with enjoyment for whatever she was doing.

He said: "Wherever we went when we took her out, whether it was the shops, Ossy Mills, garden centres or beaches she just loved it and enjoyed everything.

"She was always creating things and doing things and her determination and dedication will be greatly missed."