One of the last surviving members of a well-known Silsden family has died, aged 87.

Florence Clarkson died at Airedale Hospital last Thursday of a blood disorder she had battled against all her life.

Miss Clarkson, whose blood was incapable of clotting, also developed Alzheimer's disease three years ago. She died five days before her 88th birthday.

The octogenarian's death marked the end of the Clarkson family tree in Silsden since the sole surviving Clarkson has moved to Spain.

All that remains in the town are the faces of her ancestors in the wall of Pear Tree Cottage, in Bridge Street. The cottage belonged to Miss Clarkson's grandfather, who was clerk of Skipton Castle.

Miss Clarkson moved from Otley to Silsden as a youngster. She lived in the family house, off Skipton Road, all her life.

As a young woman she worked at a sweet shop in what is now the Memorial Gardens, off Bolton Road. Just before the war she began work in the mills as a weaver. She remained there until her retirement 42 years later.

Her only brother, Joe, was a navigator in the RAF. When he was killed in a plane crash over Canada she was left to care for her parents. She never married.

In a bid to escape the confines of her mill work, Miss Clarkson developed a passion for walking. She walked hundreds of miles during her life and completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks a number of times.

Terry Hardcastle, her neighbour, a fellow mill worker and close friend of 40 years, said: "She was such a wonderful person, full of life and still climbing mountains until she was 80 years old.

"She had a wonderful sense of humour and was so kind."

Miss Clarkson loved animals. She always had a cat by her side and when a stray dog was causing a nuisance by chasing motorbikes she took it in as her own.

Mr Hardcastle said: "She was great with children as well. She was one of the first people to have a television and she always had loads of kids sat in her living room watching it."

A funeral service was held at St James's Church, in Silsden, yesterday. A collection was taken for the Alzheimer's Society.

Those who would like to make a donation in memory of Miss Clarkson should call the society on 0845 306 0898.