Family and friends have said a piece of Kingham has gone forever following the death of Dot Long, who has died aged 85.

Born on February 12, 1922, in a cottage in the village, near Chipping Norton, she was youngest child and only daughter of Arthur and Florence Bridges.

Dot grew up in the village store, which was the family business, where she delivered copies of the Oxford Mail.

Later she would volunteer her service as a cook for RAF servicemen based at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, making the 16-mile round trip every day on her bicycle.

In 1947, she married James Long, five years her senior, whom she had known growing up in the village.

The couple had two children, Veronica and Rodney.

Sadly, Rodney died aged one from what is now thought to be cot death.

She was a strong minded and determined woman who loved the village of Kingham and played an active role in the community.

She was a member of Kingham Women's Institute and loved nothing more than helping with coffee mornings.

Her daughter Veronica also described her as a keen local historian, who loved nothing more than to collect old photographs of Kingham.

She said that whenever anyone wanted to know anything about the history of the village, they would always consult Dot.

Later in life, she would work behind the bar in the Royal British Legion and help run lunch clubs for the over 70s, jobs that would allow her to be at the centre of village life.

She would also return to work in the village shop, previously owned by her family, again allowing her to be at the hub of village activities.

As her daughter Veronica grew older and had children of her own, Melanie and Andrea, Dot and her husband James would love nothing more than spending time with them.

Going on family holidays with Veronica, her husband and the grandchildren to Weymouth, Devon and Cornwall made them both so happy.

She loved to go shopping and could still be seen riding around the village on her bicycle into her 70s.

Sadly in 1995, Dot's husband James passed away.

She missed him, but her strong personality made her get on with life and not give up.