TRIBUTES were paid last night to Lady Anne Fry, who died at her North Yorkshire home following a long illness.

Lady Fry, who was in her eighties, was a devout Quaker and a descendent of both the historic Cadbury family and the Pease family.

Born Anne Pease Cadbury, she married Sir Wilfred Fry in 1943 and the couple, who had no children, lived at Cleveland Lodge in Great Ayton.

June Imeson, leader of Hambleton District Council, was on the committee of the Thomas Richardson Foundation with Lady Fry, which gave scholarships for poorer pupils to attend the Friends School in Great Ayton.

"She was a nice woman and was very good to the village," she said.

Sylvia Wall, secretary of the Great Ayton Trefoil Guild, said: "She was a devout Quaker and was a very caring and considerate lady. She opened up her home to the Trefoil Guild and we held our meetings in her dining room."

Nigel Kitching, a fellow Quaker, added: "I think she was what you would call 'one of the old school.' She had fairly strong forthright views and was a great believer in keeping up standards."

Lady Fry's funeral will take place on Wednesday afternoon at Acklam Crematorium, Middlesbrough