A FORMER mayoress of Grange-over-Sands has died at the age of 86.

Olive Oliver (nee Bleasdale) was born and grew up in Blackburn, studying at Salesbury School, followed by Blackburn Technical College.

As a young girl she was a promising musician and, at the age of just eight, performed a violin solo before a large audience at King George's Hall in the town.

Unfortunately, Olive's musical career was cut short by rheumatic fever. However, she remained an active sportswoman, playing hockey for Blackburn Technical College's ladies' side. She was also a founder member of the Blackburn Eagles Cycling Club, and pedalled the length and breadth of the British Isles.

Olive had a long career as a shorthand typist and worked for British Insulator Calendar Cables for 35 years, which later became part of Balfour Beattie.

She married her husband, John Oliver, in March 1950 at St Peter's Church, in Samlesbury, near Blackburn. The couple later moved to Preston, and bought a caravan at Holker Hall, at Cark-in-Cartmel, where they would spend holidays and from where they first visited Grange-over-Sands.

Following their retirement in 1975, John and Olive moved to the town, where they both became active members of the community.

Olive served as mayoress of Grange-over-Sands on two occasions, from 1988 to 1989 and in 1995 to 1996, when her husband was elected to the post of mayor.

She also became a member of Grange Golf Club and was a founder member of Grange Ramblers. She was secretary of the town's Ladies' Rubber Bridge Club and a member of the local Trefoil Guild.

Together with her husband, Olive also founded the Friends of the Cumbria Grand - an organisation for the over 60s which organised two holidays a year for its members.

She died on January 15, at Furness General Hospital.