A banner made by 48 people to celebrate the granting of Abingdon's Royal Charter in 1556 was unveiled in the town library by oldest member, 92-year-old Ivy Lester.

Library users and staff produced the wall hanging to celebrate the Royal Charter, granted by Queen Mary 450 years ago. Made up of 64 squares, the banner forms part of the anniversary celebrations.

Mrs Lester, who lives in Nicholson House, said: "I feel very honoured to have unveiled this beautiful wall hanging, depicting so many things associated with Abingdon.

"I joined the library when I was 11. I must have read thousands of books in my time. The library has been my second home."

The project began a year ago and was led by librarian Vanessa Jones.

She said: "Abingdon is a lovely town with a very long history. People who live here feel very proud of it as can be seen from the wall hanging depicting so many aspects of life past and present. It will hang in the library for years to come."

Ann Kalmus, of South Avenue, produced 10 of the panels and stitched all 64 together to turn them into a banner almost two metres square.

She said: "Some panels are hand-sewn, others embroidered and there are some photos. It is a tribute to all those who took part and helped in its compilation."

One square is a photo of Ralph D Tubb from Abingdon, who was 18 when in 1946 he was posted to Rangoon in Burma, after the war with Japan.

Mr Tubb's daughter Angela Bradshaw, formerly of Abingdon and now an artist living in Geneva, said the Tubbs were a very old Abingdon family and she wanted to mark the fact in the wall hanging.

She said: "Behind the photo is a very sad story. My father left Abingdon, a bright and bubbly character but returned a depressed young man, deeply affected by what he had witnessed."