A PENSIONER who vowed to go to prison rather than let her Rose Hill bungalow be demolished for a redevelopment project has died.

Beryl Mitchell watched as the other houses in Lambourne Road were torn down, leaving her home in the middle of a building site.

In April, the 88-year-old struck a deal with Oxford City Council to sell up after an eight-month stand-off.

However, she died last week in the John Radcliffe Hospital after a long illness.

Her defiance held up plans to build what will be Oxford’s first new council houses for more than 20 years. Work on the £5.8m redevelopment started in February.

Ed Turner represents Rose Hill on the city council.

He said: “Mrs Mitchell was a lovely lady who was incredibly warm and welcoming and took a huge pride in Rose Hill. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.”

Mrs Mitchell, who worked for 40 years at Oxford University Press and Morris Motors, had lived in Lambourne Road since 1951. Her husband, Alec, died in 1977 and she had no children.

In August last year she told the Oxford Mail: “It’s my home and nobody else’s. Even if I go to prison for it.”