TRIBUTES have been paid to a Stroud resident who spent the last 21 years of her life working for the RSPCA.

Marion Williams, who was 88 and lived in Bisley Road, died suddenly in hospital.

She had worked in the RSPCA charity shop in Lansdown since moving to the area to be near her daughter Rachel Markwick and her family.

Rachel, a collage artist, said: “My mum was born in Derbyshire and spent most of her married life in Kent. She and my dad moved to the Stroud area to be near to the family.

“They lived in Pitchcombe, working in my dad’s stamp business, then a few years after he died, my mum came to live with us in Bisley Road.

“Mum started working for the RSPCA very soon after moving here, as she loved animals, especially cats.

“She really enjoyed working at the shop, operating the till, dealing with customers and pricing goods, and we sometimes had to drag her away. She worked every Tuesday and Saturday, and was there just before she died.

“I put up a blog on my website on Mother’s Day to say thanks for being a wonderful mum. She helped me a lot with my collages and always gave an honest opinion of my work.”

Andy Taylor, manager of the RSPCA’s Lansdown shop, said: “I worked with Marion for five years and she was a lovely lady. The news of her sudden death was a total surprise to all of us.

“Marion was involved with everything, and was great to talk to, and I know she got very upset if she was unable to come in due to illness. She will be much missed by the other volunteers and by many of our regular customers who she had got to know over the years.”