A WOMAN who faced many dangers during the Second World War has died at the age of 89.

Diana Luxmoore was in charge of a platoon that drove ambulances around London at the height of the Blitz, before joining a unit which manned anti-aircraft guns to protect the capital.

Later, she moved to Staindrop, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, where among other duties she ran the Meals on Wheels service - continuing until she was much older than some of the recipients of her hot lunches.

Tributes were paid to her yesterday in the village, where she was known for her sharp sense of humour as well as for always being helpful and busy. Friend Major William Trotter said: "She was a remarkable lady, who did superb war work and then became a hub of village life.

"She helped many organisations - you could mention any of them and she would be involved."

She amused him and others by recalling the time a huge German bomb landed in her garden in Woolwich, south-east London, during the Blitz, but did not immediately explode.

When it did go off with a massive blast, she was not far from it, but the bomb had gone so deep into the ground that it did not hurt her or do any damage.

Maj Trotter said: "It must have been a terrifying incident, but it was typical of her that she made it sound really funny. She had tremendous spirit."

Mrs Luxmoore joined the Fany unit of military drivers in 1937. It later became part of the ATS, and she progressed to the rank of major.

She saw duty in Antwerp later in the war and was awarded the MBE for her services.

She often opened her garden in Staindrop for fundraising functions. She was the District Commissioner for Girl Guides and chairman of the Friends of St Mary's Parish Church.

Her husband Edmund, an Under Sheriff of County Durham, died in 1997.

In her latter years, she moved to live near her son, Richard, in Aberdour, Scotland, where she was still driving her car until she had a fall in September.

Apart from Richard, she leaves another son, Michael, and a daughter, Elizabeth. Her funeral has been held in Scotland.