Tributes have been paid to a Seaton woman who helped preserve Cumbrian history and its dialect.

Ethel Fisher, 90, died on Saturday at Workington's Newlands Care Home, where she had spent the last eight months of her life.

Her husband Eric, 90, described Mrs Fisher as a unique woman.

He said: "She was the best in the world, all of our life together has been great."

Mother to Ronald, Mrs Fisher was very well known in Cumbria for having written several books on dialect.

She also kept scrapbooks with newspaper cuttings about the village of Seaton from the early 60s.

The scrap books often became part of exhibitions, which Eric said were always well attend.

Mrs Fisher, who had two brothers and three sisters, also gave talks on dialect and took part in the dialect competition in Silloth for many years before becoming a judge.

Eric, of Main Road, Seaton, said: "She loved dialect and language and words, she used to write all the time.

"One of the happiest days was when we went to collect her MBE. It was Princess Anne who gave it to her because the Queen was in India. It was for her services to Seaton and the local history and dialect. She was very happy and I felt very proud of her. We had a beautiful day.

"Princess Anne told her: 'Whatever happens, don't let the dialect go.'"

Louise Green, editor of the Lakeland Dialect Society's journal, said Mrs Fisher was well loved in the dialect circles.

She said: "She was a lovely lady, very genuine and she was always pleased to help. She was so enthusiastic about dialect and she has played an important role in the Cumbrian heritage.

"She was very proud of having met Princess Anne and she often mentioned it to me.

"I used to ring her up and ask to use her pieces, which were always amusing and very well written and we used them in the journal. She always did whatever she could to help."

Mrs Fisher shared with Eric a passion for motorbikes.

Eric said: "We liked motorcycling, we went on our honey moon in Morecambe on our motorbike when we got married in 1950."

The couple also enjoyed going to agricultural shows together.

The daughter of a Flimby farmer, Mrs Fisher set her eyes on Eric in 1947, when she was working as a milkmaid in Seaton, where Eric lived at the time.

Eric said: "We've had some really good years."

A member of St Paul's Church in Seaton, Mr Fisher occasionally played the organ there as well as being part of the choir as a soprano first and later as an alto. She was also a Sunday school teacher for 30 years.

Mrs Fisher was a member of the village's Women's Institute and Mother's Union. She was a keen knitter and knitted many dolls which she donated to charities across the area.

Mrs Fisher's funeral service will be held in St Paul's Church, Seaton, on Wednesday at 1pm, followed by cremation at Distington Hall Crematorium.

Mr Fisher has asked for family flowers only and donations, if desired, can be made to St Paul's Church c/o John Sandelands Funeral Directors 01900 602753.