A SWINDON centenarian has died six months after her landmark birthday.

Ivy Hunt turned 100 in January, and marked the occasion with her family and the receipt of two telegrams, one from the Queen, the other from the department of work and pensions.

Ivy died peacefully at Moormead Nursing Home, in Wroughton, earlier this month and her family will say their final farewells at her funeral at Kingsdown Crematorium today.

Daughter Doreen Davies said her mother was from a generation where women behaved in a very lady-like manner.

"She never wore trousers, she wouldn't be seen in them," said Doreen, of Wootton Bassett.

"And she would wear work clothes in the morning and change into something different after lunch.

"I suppose it goes back to when she worked in service.

"She had never been into a pub and never would go in one, too.

"I remember going to the Fox And Hounds, in Wroughton, and having to ask about sitting outside as we needed something to eat.

Ivy left her childhood home at Oare, near Pewsey, at a young age, as she was the only girl in the village who passed a scholarship to attend school and had to go to Salisbury.

At the end of her schooldays Ivy had good enough results to go to university but, as her parents could not afford it, she returned home and ended up working in service.

Ivy suffered a major stroke in 2001 and then a series of smaller ones last year, which meant she was not able to talk during the latter years of her life.

But she was an avid reader, getting through as many as eight books a week.

When her eyesight failed she could no longer see her family, which includes two children, four grandchildren and eight great -grandchildren, she would get her books on disc so she could still hear the stories.

In her younger days , Ivy enjoyed getting out and about in the countryside and was known to cycle between Swindon and Cirencester helping her husband complete his insurance work. in The funeral starts at 11.30am.