JOYCE Smith was stunned and overjoyed to hear that she had received an MBE in the New Year Honours List, for her services to the Durrington community.

"I had been asked if I would accept an award if offered one, but never thought they would actually give me an MBE," said 75-year-old Mrs Smith.

"I'm delighted."

Having been sceptical at first, the news sunk in as her phone was "rung off the hook" by family and friends wishing to pass on their congratulations.

Mrs Smith has lived in Durrington all her life, and has been helping out with community schemes ever since serving meals to troops as a young girl during World War II.

She served on the parish council for nearly three decades, until a stroke forced her to retire two years ago, and was also very much involved in the Roman Catholic Church for many years.

She said: "I do these things because I love doing them - its great to be achieving something and giving something back to the village.

"I have enjoyed every minute of it - it has never been a chore."

Mrs Smith's remarkable list of community credits includes work on behalf of the Red Cross, the Poppy Appeal and the Royal National Lifeboat Association.

"They all happen at different times of the year, so it all fits in nicely," she said.

Mrs Smith, who has three children and four grandchildren, has also been very involved in Durrington's amateur dramatics society.

She still helps out with the bookings and other front-of-house activities for the society, which she has been with since its formation.

Having taken part in her first pantomime at just 14, Mrs Smith has been involved in countless productions throughout her life.

"We always had great fun doing the pantomimes," she said.

She said the village had changed a lot since her school days, but she remained in regular contact with friends who had moved away.

She said: "There were four of us who went around together and, although one has sadly died, I'm still in touch with school friends in Ringwood and Camberley."

One of the major changes she has seen was the closure of the Catholic Church.

"It was heartbreaking when it went - we had tried so hard to keep it going," said Mrs Smith, who used to help run jumble sales and other events in the village, and still has a set of keys to the church.

Undeterred, she now makes the short journey to Larkhill each week for the Sunday service.

Mrs Smith has dedicated her life to Durrington and its community but insists that her efforts are a labour of love, and "no hardship at all".

And it seems that her community spirit has rubbed off on at least one of her daughters - Sue, who now runs the day centre that her mother and many other villagers enjoy every Friday.