A DEDICATED lifelong football supporter who was Blackburn Rovers' oldest fan has died, aged 101.

Football fanatic Nellie Whitehead was watching games up until the last few months of her life.

She has supported Rovers from childhood and was one of the few female fans who went to see them play, back in the early 1900s. Her favourite player of all time was Alan Shearer.

In 1992, at the age of 92, she travelled to Wembley to watch them reach the Premiership via the old Division Two play-offs. Her family said it was one of her proudest moments.

Blackburn Rovers donated a blue and white wreath of flowers for the funeral. Chief executive John Williams said: "Nellie was our oldest supporter, a season ticket holder and an active and loyal fan. She will be sadly missed.

"The board and everyone at Blackburn Rovers would like to extend their deepest sympathy to her family."

Nellie celebrated her 100th birthday in December, 1999, in true blue style at Cornelian House, Cornelian Street, Blackburn, where she was resident for two years.

Son Peter said: "My mother was an inspiration to everybody. She enjoyed her life, despite living through two world wars.

"She also got to live through the millennium, one of her greatest wishes."

The funeral service was at Blackburn Crematorium on Friday.