A GREAT great grandma from East Lancashire, who was believed to be one of the oldest people in the country, has died, aged 108.

Edith Ferdinand, who lived at Castleford Nursing Home in Clitheroe, suffered shingles and a stroke before she died on Monday - six weeks before her 109th birthday.

Family woman Mrs Ferdinand was born in Blackburn and suffered the tragedy of losing her mother when she was three.

She went to live with her grandmother who ran the Britannia pub in Penny Street and later started work at the Haydock Laundry near Brownhill.

In 1915, she married Alfred Ferdinand at Holy Trinity Church and gave up work to bring up their three children, who went on to give her five grandchildren.

Granddaughter Adele Nuttall, of Coniston Road, Blackburn, said Mrs Ferdinand lost her husband in 1946 and spent the second half of her life as a widow.

She enjoyed her family and spent time not only with her children, but also her grandchildren, great grandchildren and her great great granddaughter. She lived for a time with her daughter in Langho.

Mrs Nuttall said her grandmother used to watch television and read the Lancashire Evening Telegraph from cover to cover every day but her sight deteriorated slowly after a cataract operation when she was 90.

When she was 95, she moved into Castleford Nursing Home. On her 100th birthday, Mrs Ferdinand received a telegram from the Queen and was guest of honour at a special party at Castleford with residents, family and friends.

And royal telegrams arrived every birthday after she turned 105.

"She was a very private person. She had a very tough life and lived through the depression. I think that was what made her so family-oriented and strong-willed," said Mrs Nuttall.

"A few years ago she was the eighth oldest person in the country, but she didn't quite make it to 109.

"She will be missed not only by her family, but also the staff at Castleford who couldn't do enough for her," said Mrs Nuttall.

The funeral service will be held in the Chapel of Rest, Broomfield Place, Blackburn, on Monday at 1.30pm.

She will be buried next to her late husband at Pleasington Cemetery.

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