A WARTIME nurse who later became a loyal RSPCA official has died at the age of 95.

Ruth Pedley BEM, of Levens, dedicated her life to serving and caring for others and animals in the South Lakes.

Born in Kendal in 1923, she moved to Levens when she was just three years old.

After leaving school in 1939, Mrs Pedley trained at St Christopher’s Training school for Nursing Nurses.

When the Second World War broke out she was evacuated to Huntley Manor, in Gloucestershire, to finish her training.

Before moving to London, Mrs Pedley worked in Colchester where she looked after more than 50 children.

She then moved to be a nurse in a boarding school in Greenwich for RAF children whose parents had been killed during the war.

In 1960, following the death of her father, Mrs Pedley returned to Levens to look after her mother.

During that time she was also a boarding school matron across Arnside and Heversham for nearly 10 years and was a nurse assistant at Westmorland General Hospital, in Kendal, until her retirement in the 1970s.

Mrs Pedley then devoted her passion to helping animals by getting the RSCPA Westmorland branch up and running.

In 1972, she was made a trustee for the charity and in 1990, she took on the role of dog home coordinator, a position Mrs Pedley truly excelled in as it is recorded that she rehomed around 80 animals on average per year. From 1995 to 2007 she was also chairman.

Due to her dedication and her devotion to the RSCPA, in 2014 Mrs Pedley, who was also president of the charity’s branch at the time, was awarded a BEM for her services to animal welfare.

Ever year she would also hold a fair at her home in Levens where proceeds went to the charity.

Outside of the RSPCA Mrs Pedley was also an active church goer and sang in the choir in Levens.

A respected and admired woman, she will be greatly missed.