An elderly woman who was nearly killed when arsonists set fire to her home never got over the shock.

Nellie Lanchbury, who found she could not sleep and was very nervous after the attack, died last week.

A funeral service today at Haddenham Baptist Church was followed by cremation at Amersham.

Mrs Lanchbury, 92, narrowly escaped being killed in June when vandals set fire to the thatch roof at her house in Townside, Haddenham, near Thame.

A third of the roof was destroyed - the rest was saved by firefighters after a man walking home spotted the flames.

Mrs Lanchbury's daughter, Anne Allison, said her mother never recovered from the shock and was constantly nervous and could not sleep.

Mrs Lanchbury was well known in Haddenham.

She was born at Yolsum House in the village and returned to it where she met and married dairy farmer Reg Lanchbury.

She was married for almost 50 years, lived most of her life at Yolsum Farm and moved to Townside - Yolsum Cottage - 15 years ago.

The couple had four children but only her daughter has survived.

She supported local and national charities, was a member of several organisations in the village, and as a needlewoman had one group, Nellie's Needles, named after her.