ONE of North Devon's most colourful characters, Irene Somerville, has died at the age of 83.

A tireless fundraiser for charity, she will perhaps be remembered best by people for launching into song with a collection bucket at her feet.

Over the years she raised money for the Children's Hospice South West, the North Devon Hospice and for national and international causes close to her heart.

She was also a prolific letter writer to the Journal, often raising concerns about local issues.

Originally from Somerset, she worked as a shop dresser for a large store in Weston-Super-Mare.

She would cycle 14 miles to and from her home to work for 7s 6d a week.

She met her husband-to-be John Somerville at a do in Weston-Super-Mare while he was serving in the RAF.

After marrying they settled down in Combe Martin where they ran a market garden business and a greengrocers shop.

They then moved into another shop nearby which had flats above for holiday lets.

They still kept the old shop premises and ran it as a cafe for a time before leasing it.

A hard worker, Irene would pick strawberries at 5am to be sent to Dunns of Neath, South Wales, and Clarks of Birmingham.

In fact, she was doing that the day before giving birth to her eldest daughter, Maureen.

On retiring in the late 1970s Irene and John had a bungalow built at Rews Close, Combe Martin.

John died in 1985 at the age of 66 and Irene continued to live in their bungalow for a few years until ill health forced her into care.

Her grand-daughter Michelle Goss said: "She suffered bouts of depression which in her 'down' moments was a terrible thing to live with.

"But her 'up' moments enabled her to carry out the things she loved doing such as fundraising and singing.

"She always had a wonderful voice. She was really gifted and could have gone far with it."

She was a member of Combe Martin Baptist Church and later Ilfracombe Baptist Church.

She loved children and every Christmas would take gifts to the children's hospice at Little Bridge House in Fremington and to the children's ward at North Devon District Hospital.

She could often be seen in Barnstaple with her union jack flags and her tape recorder, singing to raise funds for the charities close to her heart or for international appeals to help disaster victims.

Rob Emery, a member of the fundraising team at Little Bridge House, was among those who paid tribute to her.

He said: "The Children's Hospice South West would like to offer our condolences to the family and friends of Irene.

"We greatly appreciate the kindness and generosity that she showed us over a number of years, supporting us for more than a decade when our first hospice, Little Bridge House in Fremington, had only recently opened its doors for the first time.

"Support such as Irene's really does help us to make the most of short and precious lives across the region and we are grateful for the life of such a wonderful lady."

Terry Loveless who knew Irene for more than 30 years, said she used to visit the sick and elderly as well as raise money for charity.

He recalled that she would "break into song" at the slightest opportunity and added: "She would use her talents to collect money for all sorts of charities, particularly children's charities."

North Devon's MP, Nick Harvey, said: "Irene was a very colourful character, known in Combe Martin and Ilfracombe particularly, but she was also very interested and active in politics.

"I think her most memorable moment was during the 2001 general election when William Hague paid a visit to North Devon and went through Barnstaple Pannier Market.

"He saw Irene with her Union Jacks, looking like a safe bet for a Tory leader to talk to, and Irene absolutely ripped him apart. The whole thing was caught on West Country TV."

She used to pop into the Liberal Club in Barnstaple when Nick Harvey had his office there.

"We would hear, at the bottom of the stairs, a rendition of Onward Christian Soldiers and know that Irene had come in for coffee," he said.

"She was a great story teller as well and would give accounts of her early life, cycling miles to work at Weston-Super-Mare."

Irene spent her last few years at the Susan Day Residential Home in Ilfracombe where she was very happy and well looked after.

Her grand-daughter Michelle said: "Although it was a real shock for her to go so quickly we are so glad she did not suffer. She died peacefully.

"There will be a big void in my life and she will be really missed by us all."

Irene died on August 31.

She leaves behind three daughters Maureen, Gillian and Diane, grandchildren Michelle, Fiona, Naomi, Anita, Charmian, Sonia, Darrel and Amy and great grandchildren Jordan, Lois, Enya, Kyran, Gabrielle and Michael.

A celebration of her life will take place at Combe Martin Baptist Church today at 12.30pm followed by committal at the North Devon Crematorium, Barnstaple, at 2pm.