Olive Day, a former stalwart of the village of Wheatley, has died aged 103.

Born Olive Sayer, she was a talented pianist and her love of music was shared by her most famous musician nephew - Leo Sayer.

She lived through both world wars and according to her son, David, remembered Zeppelin raids on Dover during the First World War.

Mr Day said: "I remember her telling me that one of her earliest memories was when her parents told her to look after her younger brother as there was some mad Frenchman who was planning on flying across the English Channel and they wanted to go and see."

That "mad Frenchman" was, in fact, Louis Bleriot, the first man to fly across the English Channel in 1909, when Mrs Day was just four years old.

Originally from Dover, Mrs Day moved to The Retreat, a bungalow in Old London Road, in Wheatley, in 1960 when her husband Ernie took up a position at the Civil Service depot in Didcot.

The couple met 40 years earlier when Mr Day was based in Dover and Mrs Day was a teacher at a primary school.

Her husband's death in 1970 led to Mrs Day becoming more active in the community in Wheatley.

She was heavily involved in the Merry Bells Pensioners' Club, which still meets at the community hall in Wheatley, during the 1970s and 80s.

For many years she held the position of secretary.

As a musician, she also helped organise the Merry Bells concert parties - which still take place today.

Mr Day said: "My mum had a great love of life, was fun and loved music.

"She was really active right into her 80s and you could find her playing badminton in the garden with my children."

Mrs Day moved into an old people's home when she was 93, as her family had become increasingly worried about her living alone.

She settled in Townsend House in Headington, then Fewcott House, in Bicester, where relatives gathered in 2004 to celebrate her 100th birthday.

The 103-year-old passed away peacefully at the Fewcott House on June 4.

She is survived by her two children Julie and David, five grandchildren and four great- grandchildren.