Averil Beresford, a pillar of the Trowbridge community, died on Wednesday following a short illness.

Mrs Beresford, 82, played an active part in town life, being involved in organisations including Trowbridge in Bloom, Trowbridge Carnival, the twinning associations and horticultural society.

Maryrose Mantle, chairman of Trowbridge Carnival committee, said: “She was a true believer in Trowbridge and part of the carnival for many, many years and we shall all miss her. She was a great lady and a dynamic character.”

Mrs Beresford and her late husband John were keen supporters of Trowbridge in Bloom and during Tuesday’s awards ceremony for this year’s event, at the Civic Centre, an announcement was made that she was fighting an illness, with a presentation given in her honour.

Trish Carpenter, a Trowbridge in Bloom member, said: “She had many different guises in the town. Given how active she was you could not believe her age and even when her husband died she threw herself into everything with the same enthusiasm.”

Mrs Beresford regularly took part in Trowbridge’s annual pancake race and could be seen in patriotic costume handing out flowers and rosettes every St George’s Day with her sister Sally Taylor.

Mrs Beresford was also a volunteer at Trowbridge Museum. Duncan Turner, from the museum, said: “She was a very active part of the museum for over 20 years and we are looking at putting a display together of some of the items she has donated to us. She will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with her family.”

A date for Mrs Beresford’s funeral has yet to be arranged.