A 92-YEAR-OLD with decades of voluntary service to her North Yorkshire community under her belt has been awarded a BEM.

Bessie Underwood is still very much involved in community life in Castleton, near Whitby, and is still a committee member of the local Over 60s Club she set up with a friend 44-years-ago.

She runs a weekly raffle at the village hall to raise funds for the club - which boasts 80 members - and for the past 46-years as part of her daily routine she has cooked meals for neighbours, among her many other community contributions.

Mrs Underwood's nominator said she displayed a "selfless voluntary commitment" to Castleton community life but Mrs Underwood herself is humble about receiving a BEM, telling The Northern Echo: "It is a wonderful thing, but I still can't understand why me.

"I just love people and going out.

"Ever since I lost my husband 26-years-ago I found I had nothing much to do, so I started helping anybody who wanted any help.

"I have a wonderful family and lots of friends, and although I can't walk very far now anybody is happy to push me around and take me anywhere and I have a wonderful life."

Receiving a BEM is not the first Royal connection for Mrs Underwood who was invited to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace earlier this month in recognition of her community work.

Although she did not get to meet the Queen personally, she said she got very close and described the occasion as "just wonderful".