A councillor described as "an inspiration to a new generation of Labour women" has sadly died.

Eve Coles was compassionate and hugely committed in both her work as a carer for the elderly until she retired, and also as a District and Town Councillor for Chipping Norton.

Mother, carer and campaigner, she cared passionately about the town and its people.

She was very much 'old Chippy' and 'Old Labour'.

Eve was hugely active in the peace movement in support of the Greenham Women, helped Labour County Councillor and farmer Dave Barbour paint a huge CND symbol on the top of one of his barns under the flight path of the USAF base at Upper Heyford, and protested the bombing of Libya.

READ ALSO: Jeremy Clarkson hits back at Oxfordshire county council's decision to go vegan

She played a leading role in Oxfordshire in support of South Wales miners during the Miners Strike of 1984-1985 and was presented with a miners' lamp by them in appreciation of her fundraising and political support.

During the period of the Thatcher Government she campaigned tirelessly against cuts by the Tories at County Hall, in defence of the NHS and against the hated Poll Tax.

She was a workplace steward and activist in NUPE and then UNISON.

She was an inspiration to a new generation of Labour women councillors.

She was a legend here in West Oxfordshire as being the sole Labour and Co-Op Councillor for very many years. She was hugely proud of Chipping Norton's labour and co-operative tradition.

Chipping Norton Labour Party will be paying tribute to her life and work at our Annual General Meeting this Thursday evening at the Crown & Cushion Hotel.

There will be a memorial event to celebrate Eve's life at Chipping Norton Town Hall in the early summer.