TRIBUTES have been paid to a Barrow Raiders legend's widow after her death.

Bessie Horne, the widow of the great Willie Horne, peacefully died with family by her side after being looked after by Risedale Nursing home staff on Sunday - aged 96.

Barrow Raiders chairman Steve Neale said Bessie was a 'great ambassador for the town'.

He said: "Even though Bessie is the widow of Willie, she was still very much part of the rugby club family and was very much involved after Willie's passing with a lot of our fundraising functions and she attended the former player's dinner a few years ago and got pictures with the players, which was nice to see her at.

"Both her and Willie did so much for the town and to raise the town's profile and she did so much charitable work in the background and always remained a friend of the club.

"I met her back in the day at the Willie Horne shop but you don't actually realise you were in the company of someone who was so famous when you were young because he used to keep himself upstairs in the stock room.

"She was a close friend with my mother and we had little bit of a family connection.

"She will be greatly missed by a lot of people and she was a great ambassador for the town."

The family of Bessie have shared an open invitation to past friends who would like to pay their last respects.

The funeral service is due to take place on Monday April 25 at 11.30am followed by a reception at Furness Cricket Club on Oxford Street.
Bessie actively supported a number of charities over the years and her wishes are that there are only family flowers.

Any donations in her memory would be gratefully received towards the work that Vision Support Barrow District do in the local community.