GWEN Ayton, nee Hawker, has died at the age of 97 at at Old Charlton House in Cowes.

MRS Ayton, wife of the late George Ayton, spent more than 30 years on the Island, enjoying the community in Godshill and making many friends through her involvement in local organisations.

She was a member of All Saints Church in Godshill and a long-term volunteer at the Mountbatten Hospice.

A loyal member of the local horticultural society, Gwen’s shortbread and floral entries in the Godshill show were well-known.

She contributed to the Sunshine Club as secretary, joined the WI, and loved watching Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra concerts and Apollo Theatre productions.

Even when limited to a wheelchair, she enjoyed outings in the gardens and along the esplanades around the Island with her family.

Mrs Ayton had a long and varied life.

Born in Devon in 1922, with very humble beginnings, at 16 she moved to London to work in the civil service.

The war saw her office evacuated to Lancashire, where she met her husband. Their life together took them to Kenya, Uganda, and Brighton before the Isle of Wight.

She leaves five children and a wider family.

There will be a memorial to celebrate her life, later in the year.