A FARNWORTH woman who was Britain's longest-serving RSPCA volunteer has died aged 94 years.

Edna Lomax had been involved with the charity for 60 years, starting her good works for animals in 1936, and over the years raised many thousands of pounds with her tireless fundraising.

She died peacefully on Sunday at Mill View home in Bolton.

Mrs Lomax was given the charity's highest honour, the Queen Victoria Bronze Medal, and in 1985 was honoured by the Queen with an MBE.

In 1996, on her 90th birthday, she was made life president of Bolton RSPCA.

Born in 1907 at Railway Street, Farnworth, Mrs Lomax grew up in a household with dogs and cats.

Always concerned about the plight of animals, her first bit of encouragement came in the Thirties when an old lady left her a legacy of £100 "to help animals".

With this money, Mrs Lomax started Farnworth's first animal refuge. Years later, she moved the refuge to Norris Street. Attracting funds was difficult, so Mrs Lomax organised numerous coffee mornings, jumble sales and flag days in order to keep the place open.

On one occasion the veteran volunteer held a rent and rates strike in protest at the squalid conditions of the premises and later the site closed but she kept up her RSPCA work from her Darley Grove home.

It wasn't until 1993, aged 87 years, that Edna finally gave up organising flag day collections for the RSPCA in Farnworth.

A widow, Mrs Lomax has no surviving immediate family. Bolton RSPCA vice president, and friend, Marie Campbell, said: "She was like an institution in Farnworth -- a stalwart fundraiser."

The provisional date of Mrs Lomax's funeral is Friday, with a 10.30am service at Trinity Church, followed by committal at 11.30am at Overdale.