A STALWART of Whitchurch has admitted her pride after she was made a 'dame' recently.

Rose Snell, who has been Citizen of the Year and recently re-joined the town council, was made a Dame by the Order of St Stanislas in Malta.

The order, which is a global organisation, presented the 82-year-old with the award for the work she carries out here in Whitchurch with the Royal British Legion and she admitted she was delighted to receive it after recent bad news.

"It's not an understatement to say I'm proud, amazed and a little bit shocked," said Rose.

"You have to be sponsored to received this award and I used to go to Malta a lot with my partner.

I used to talk with the manager of the hotel and an old man there who used to say 'I'm going to make you a dame'.

"Paul, the manager, sponsored me and I went to the Holy Trinity Church in Sliema where they had the investiture where there were five knights and me.

"A man called Count Waldermar Wilk, who came from Austria, did the ceremony which was last October.

"I was so proud but I was so shocked at the same time. It's a super honour and it was all for the work I do here in Whitchurch for the British Legion.

"It's a lovely medal too; it has the George Cross of Malta on it."

Rose also carries the standard each Remembrance Sunday, and also recently represented the Legion at the Menin Gate at Ypres in Belgium in 2018.