Former Workington mayoress Sheila Miller has died at the age of 82.

Known through her employment in the North Western Electricity Board showroom in Oxford Street, Sheila became better known in 1969 when her husband Jack became the youngest mayor of the then municipal borough's history.

Over their year in office the couple were invited to more than 1,000 engagements. Such a large workload meant their work needed to be shared. It was a challenge Mrs Miller readily accepted and she soon became an eloquent speaker in the promotion of the borough.

The following year Mrs Miller returned to a more normal life but remained in contact with the many friends and movements she had found and formed during her time as mayoress.

Following the 1974 local government reorganisation, Mr and Mrs Miller moved to Golborne in Great Manchester after Mr Miller took up a job with Merseyside County Council in Liverpool.

Mrs Miller continued to work for Norweb by transferring her work to Ashton-in-Makerfield.

Moving from Cumbria to the more cosmopolitan city life of Manchester and Liverpool was a huge transformation for Mrs Miller but she quickly adapted to her new lifestyle.

A further transformation was in store after 1990 when the couple took early retirement and two years later fulfilled a lifelong dream by moving to the island of Mallorca.

Already a fluent French speaker, Sheila quickly mastered Spanish and for the next 12 years revelled in the warm climate that the idyllic Mallorcan fishing village of Puerto de Soller could offer. For the first time in her life, Sheila experienced tranquillity from the active life to which she had previously been accustomed.

In 2004, the couple returned to England and the family home in Golborne.

Mrs Miller was born Sheila Glencross in Abbeytown before moving with her family to Allonby.

She was educated at the Tomlinson Girls Grammar School in Wigton. Highly intelligent, she nevertheless declined university for a more sedate life in a loving home with a close knit family.

She married at 21 and worked for Norweb for 35 years.

Her life saw her dine with royalty and strike a friendship with a Prime Minister.

Earlier this year Mrs Miller developed a blood disorder which caused the cancellation of the couple's 60th wedding anniversary celebrations.

She recovered slightly but in early December she was admitted to Wigan Infirmary where she died peacefully on December 10 with her husband and daughter Gillian by her side.

Her ashes will be returned to Cumbria for a private ceremony in accordance with her wishes.