TRIBUTES have been paid to a well-known amateur drama actress who has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Fran Loss acted with the Western Players drama group for over 45 years and was later elected president in 2018.

Her husband Robert Loss explains how she first became involved in acting.

He said: "Her mother brought her along to the acting group when she was young and she fell in love with performing, so it all started from there.

"Over the years she must have performed in over 60 plays ranging from comedies to reviews, her last one being the wife in the production of Bedroom Farce. She could do anything."

Asked what her most memorable role was, Robert couldn't decide: "It's hard to choose as she's played so many roles over the years, from waitress to heroine to even in one play a murderer!

"Acting was her passion along with music and tapestry. She always enjoyed being part of production no matter what part she was playing."

Fran, who was fluent in French, worked at the continental telephone exchange before becoming a receptionist at the Roussel Laboratories in Covingham, where she worked until 2009.

Robert explained how he me Fran.

"I actually asked her out on a blind date. I'd seen her at the Wyvern Theatre and a friend pointed her out to me and said I should ask her out. So I found out where she worked and phoned her up and the rest was history. That was in 1975, we were married in 1978 so we celebrated 40 years together in September."

"My first impressions of her was that she was lovely, easy to get on with and had the same interests in the arts and music as I did. It was a great match."

Alan Wrickson, who is a former chairman of the acting company, said Fran was a vital part of the groups survival, adding: "The company can be dated back to 1854, and was named The Great Western Railway Mechanics Institute Amateur Theatrical Society.

"It was was run by the workers of the railways but when the rail-works shut down Fran was instrumental to help raise funds and reorganise the group to what it is today. She had many different roles in the group. She was secretary, she could do back of house and even made costumes from time to time.

"Most of all, she loved to perform and played all sorts of parts. We have people who can only do certain types of roles but Fran could play anything."

He added: "I'll miss her very much. I've been friends with her for 45 years. She was a vital part of the company, it's just a shame that she never got to use her role as president fully."

The is funeral to be held at Kingsdown Crematorium on March 14 at midday.