Sandown stalwart and social butterfly, Peggy Forward, has died at the age of 102.

Tribute was paid to Peggy at Sandown Town Council last night, by her friend, Cllr Heather Humby.

Cllr Humby said: "Peggy died last week and was a most valued member of our community. She was a friend and befriended many Sandonians over many years and was involved in many activities in the town.

"Until recently was an active member of the Sandown Townswoman Guild and a regular attendee of St John's Church.

"During the war, Peggy enlisted as a carpenter and helped to build Bailey bridges which were used at D-Day and until her last day she kept her carpenter's bag under her bed just in case she was needed again.

"She was an amazing and inspiring lady. She was a really lovely Sandonian, she was a kind person and was always out helping people, even in her 90s. I personally will miss her."

When the County Press interviewed Peggy on her 100th birthday in 2021 she said: "When I woke up on my birthday I couldn't believe I was 100 and had got to this age.

"My legs and feet have let me down but my brain is still very active.

"I have never smoked and I'm not much of a drinker and I have behaved myself, but I've always been a good organiser and I like to organise social events.

"I'm also known for the song New York New York, which is played for me everywhere I go. It's my signature tune."

Peggy was born in Plymouth, Devon, but moved to the Island in 1938 and worked in a Sandown hotel during the Second World War, making Bailey bridges for the war effort.

Her family moved on to Dover but Peggy loved Sandown and stayed.

She married her first husband in 1945 and had daughter Janet in 1950.

After she was widowed in 1978, she went on to meet her 'beloved Bill' and the couple married in 1989.