AN ‘inspirational’ great-grandmother-of-14, who raised thousands of pounds for charity after taking up swimming aged 75, has died.

‘Remarkable’ Ada Gibson from Accrington died on Wednesday at the age of 101.

The former seamstress shot to fame when she learnt to swim in the early 1990s and was also known for dressing up as a punk rocker and collecting money in Accrington town centre for various causes.

Mrs Gibson was born at home in Grane Road, Haslingden, but left when she was 14 years old and moved in with a friend’s family whose dad taught her to sew.

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She worked as a seamstress all her life and was based at the home she shared with her husband Thomas, who she married at St James’ Church, Accrington, in the early 1940s. They stayed together until he died in 1971.

Mrs Gibson, who was also a mother-of-three, grandma-of-five, and a great great-grandma-of-20, also lived in Warner Street and Mason Street, Accrington, before moving to Clayton-le-Moors.

She lived with her son in Grange Street before moving to Hope House in Rishton Road last year.

Her daughter Barbara Wright, 73, said she will be greatly missed.

She said: “She was an inspirational woman and was highly thought of by everyone who knew her.

“When my dad died she started to do more outside the home and she began to get involved with charity events.

“It was amazing when she learnt to swim and raised all that money for charity.

“She was an incredibly fit person and also used to skip around Mercer Park every morning.

“She has been ill for some time now so this is not a shock but she will will be greatly missed very one.

“She appeared on the Jonathan Ross Show as well as with Julian Clarey because of her fundraising and she loved to be in the public spotlight.

“It was fantastic when she met the boxer Amir Khan as it really felt that he was part of the family. She was quite a remarkable woman. and must have raised around £6,000 for charity.

“I would like everybody who knew here to come to the funeral. It would be lovely if people who wanted to could give flowers or a donation to Cancer Research UK.”

Cathy Yates, the Acting Manager at Hope House, said: “Ada was wonderful and well known person, and was an important part of the Hope House family, she will be sadly missed by everyone.

"Her passion for people was infectious and it inspired her to raise thousands of pounds for good causes. Our thoughts and sympathies are with her family and friends.”

The funeral will be held at All Saints Church in Clayton-le-Moors on November 17, from 10.40am.