A CHURCH stalwart has stepped down from her parochial church council after being a member for 70 years, but will carry on playing the church organ.

Mrs Cissy Harrison, aged 91, of West Rounton, has been a churchgoer all her life. She began playing the organ at St Oswald's church in 1927, when she was still a teenager.

"The previous organist had a motor accident," she said. "She used to come to church on a motorcycle, but after her accident she didn't play again. I was quite young and not a very good organist at that time, but I practised hard, and I'm still here."

Along with her organ playing and membership of the PCC, she taught Sunday school for more than 30 years and was the church treasurer for 36 years. Her dedication was recognised when she was invited to a royal garden party to mark her 60th year of playing the organ at St Oswald's.

"The Queen and Prince Charles and Diana were there, so that was a very happy day for me," she said.

The Rev Tim Jones, priest-in-charge of the parish of the Rountons and Welbury, was full of praise for her.

"She is a real saint," he said. "But she is a real firebrand too - sharp as a pin.

"A couple of years ago she gave me a right telling off because I hadn't introduced any new hymns. This was coming from someone who was 89 to a vicar in his 30s. The stereotype is the young vicar wanting to make changes and the older members of the congregation resisting change, but with Mrs Harrison, it is completely the opposite.

"It is still true that if anyone moves into the village, she is the first one round to say hello and invite them to church. I wish we could bottle whatever she has got and pass it round!"

Mrs Harrison is modest about her accomplishments. "If you really enjoy something, you will always have the energy to do it," she said.

Her passions for music and the church bear fruit on Sunday in a special songs of praise service at St Oswald's, starting at 6.30