NO-ONE could be in Dorothy Fawell's company without laughing. She was a wonderfully jolly lady with a sharing sense of humour.

She was also extremely clever, and contributed a huge amount to education in Bolton.

Dorothy and her sister Kathleen were members of an old local business family, and both became well-known teachers.

Dorothy was head of Pikes Lane Nursery school, then took up a post training nursery nurses before becoming an education advisor for the local authority. Her achievements in this field earned her an MBE.

She and her late sister never married, and lived together in Heaton making a difference to the community with their work

Dorothy has died at the age of 83 in the local nursing home where she continued her active life, and her funeral is on Friday.

She was inspirational, funny and a desperately caring person. She will be missed.