A BOLTON education expert whose work gained national recognition has died aged 83.

Dorothy Ormrod Fawell became a prominent figure in the town, rising through the teaching ranks to become head of Pikes Lane Nursery School, before taking up a post training nursery nurses and then becoming an adviser to the Bolton education authority.

Even after her retirement in 1982, after nearly 40 years with the authority, she continued to lecture on nursery education throughout Europe and was chairman of the British Association for Early Child- hood Education. Her achievements earned her an MBE.

She never married and both she and her sister Kathleen, another well-known Bolton teacher, who died in 1997, were devout Christians, worshipping at St Paul's Church, Deansgate, until its closure when she moved with the rest of the congregation to the Emmanuel Church Centre.

Miss Fawell was proud of being a northerner and came from the fourth generation of a well-known business family.

Her great uncle, a mill owner, gave money for the rebuilding of Bolton Parish Church, which now contains a chapel dedicated to the Ormrod family.

She lived in Heaton for many years until an illness seven years ago saw her move to the Hazelbrook Christian Nursing and Rest Home in Horwich, where she continued to live an active life.

"She was a very determined lady and made a good recovery from the illness," said the Rev Robert Horrocks, vicar of St Paul with Emmanuel Church. "Although she was in a nursing home, you would very rarely find her in. She was always out and about doing something."

Over the years, she was involved in a number of local organisations including the Bolton Business and Professional Women's Club, the Pre-School Playgroups Association and the Community Service Council for Bolton.

The funeral will be on Friday with a service at St Paul with Emmanuel Church, Bolton, followed by interment at Heaton Cemetery.

Her family has asked that donations in lieu of flowers be given to the church.