A former MoD worker who lived in the village of Gastard for almost all her life has died, aged 60.

Patricia Leathem, of The Close, died on Monday after suffering a ruptured bowel.

Mrs Leathem was born in Bradford on Avon, one of the four children of Brian and Gwyneth Colley.

She attended Neston Primary and Corsham School and after leaving school took a job at the Ministry of Defence’s Copenacre site.

She met Terry Leathem, a Metropolitan Police officer, and the couple married in the early 1970s.

They had two children, Adam, now 32, and Matthew, 31. During this time, Mrs Leathem worked part-time as a nurse.

The couple broke up in 1983 and several years later Mrs Leathem went on to meet her second partner Tony Packham, and the couple had a son, Bryan, now 20.

During the 1980s Mrs Leathem worked for a time at Melksham Tourist Information Centre.

After splitting up with Mr Packham Mrs Leathem suffered medical problems, and needed operations on her wrists and back. She also developed bipolar disorder.

Her family said she was a very caring and loving woman, who was always smiling.

She enjoyed attending classes held in the grounds of Chippenham Community Hospital, where she got the chance to take part in cookery, art and pottery.

Her other passions were reading and music, with her favourite song being Close to You by The Carpenters.

She leaves her children, siblings John Colley, 54, of Guernsey, Paul Colley, of Australia and sister Jill Hill, 47, of Gastard and four grandchildren, Josh, 12, Ryan, 11, Emily, five and Jake, four.

Her funeral will be held at West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington on Wednesday, at 10.45am. Family flowers only, donations in her memory will go to the Leonard Cheshire charity c/o DJ Bewley Funeral Directors in Melksham.