A LIFELONG racing fan has died at the age of 101. Kit Kilburn celebrated her 10lst birthday with a trip to the races last May.

The great grandmother of six, who lived in Salzgitter Court in Swindon, died peacefully in her sleep a month before her 102nd birthday.

Her son Peter Kilburn, 78, of Stratton St Margaret, who helped to organise her trip to the Newbury Racecourse said his mother would be greatly missed.

"She was a lovely lady and was very much loved by all the family.

"She spent her last ten days in the GWH and we saw her for the last time the day before she died.

"Although she was drifting a bit, she was very lively and had become popular with the nurses."

As well as a flutter on the horses, Kit was partial to a game of bingo or cards.

Peter said: "She really liked bingo and used to play it every week in the complex where she lived.

"She also really enjoyed a card game with the family.

"Normally she was in bed by seven or eight o'clock but if she heard there would be a card game going on she'd be up until gone midnight."

Kit, who had three grandchildren and six great grandchildren, moved to Swindon from Surrey in 1969 after her husband Ernest died of kidney failure.

Before that she had worked as a ticket seller at Hampton Court Palace.

Peter said: "She was very independent and looked after herself completely until she got taken into hospital recently.

"Obviously she was healthy to have lived such a long life.

"She didn't drink or smoke but she always liked a drop of brandy on a Sunday morning."

Kit's funeral is on Friday at 2pm at Kingsdown Crematorium.