A WOMAN involved in a wide range of community activities in Box died on Saturday at the age of 73.

Thelma Haines, of Chapel Lane, was a keen sportswoman well known for running the village badminton club and playing short mat bowls and tennis.

She devoted a lot of her time to activities at the village's Methodist Church where she was a lettings secretary and helped out with the luncheon club. She was also bookings secretary at Selwyn Hall for many years, while her husband, Norman was chairman.

Born in Dartmouth, Devon, where she grew up and went to school, she met her future husband at work in 1955. Mr Haines said: "This beautiful girl used to come in with my wages, so one day I decided to ask her if she would like to come to the pictures."

The couple married in 1960 and moved to Wiltshire, settling in Box where they quickly became popular members of the community.

Mrs Haines had been ill for a number of months before she was diagnosed with terminal cancer on April 5.

Her funeral takes place at Box Parish Church at 2pm on Wednesday and will be followed by tea and biscuits in the Methodist Church hall.