An early pioneer of Preston Ramblers died on Monday, aged 96.

May Hobbs started rambling at the age of 15, in 1924, and one of her first walks was around Brock Bottoms, north of Preston.

In 1930 she joined the Preston Ramblers Club (PRC), then The Ramblers Walking Club Preston.

At its height in the 1930s it had 130 members and every Sunday they would charter two buses to take them mainly to the north and east of Preston to start their walk, that was usually around 30 miles.

She was a regular at ramblers' meetings in the Church Street club room on Monday evenings where members also enjoyed a sing-song, table tennis, darts, pagatelle, lectures and film shows and social evenings.

In 1954, May became president of the club -- a reward for her long service.

In 1983, aged 73, she walked around the Ribblehead and Garsdale area in a blizzard and heavy drifting snow and in the same year she completed a half-marathon in temperatures of more than 70 degrees. Her last walk, aged 83, was around the Dent area in 1992.

Never owning a television set May was a passionate gardener at her home in Carleton Avenue, Fulwood, which she worked on until her 90s.

May's funeral will take place on Monday, at Preston Crematorium, at 2pm.