DETERMINED and young at heart Eileen Blight, the former landlady of The Wheatsheaf Pub in Oxford, has died at the age of 93.

Mrs Blight helped run The Kite Pub in the city for 10 years before moving to The Wheatsheaf where she stayed until retirement.

She and her husband Arthur became familiar faces to all who frequented their establishments.

Her granddaughter Natasha said she was an "amazing woman who worked hard all her life without complaint".

She said: "She remained young at heart even in her final days; full of fun and laughter, a wonderful smile and it was an absolute privilege to be able to call her my grandmother for the last 44 years."

Eileen Blight, nee Spencer, was born in Oxford on August 2 1922, the only surviving twin of a pregnancy late in her mother's life.

She was the youngest of three sisters, Oliver, Flo and Ivy.

Her parents, Joe and Florence Spencer were at the time tenants of the Albion pub in Hollybush Row that they ran for 26 years before moving to the Wheatsheaf in the High Street where they held the license for 22 years.

After attending school, Mrs Blight started her working life at Strangers, a hairdressers, before meeting her husband Arthur Blight, an aircraft supervisor at the time.

They married at St Michaels of the North Gate when she was 19 and he 28, on March 4 1942.

Before the war ended in 1945, the couple joined Mrs Blight's eldest sister, Olive, and her husband in helping to run the Kite pub in Mill Street, Oxford.

Their first child, daughter Kay Olive was born in 1943 followed by a son five years later, Paul.

Sadly Mrs Blight's sister Olive died at an early age and Mr and Mrs Blight took on the responsibility of helping to raise her two sons, Brian and Clive alongside their father Billy Rowden.

They remained at the Kite for 10 years before taking over as landlady and landlord of the Wheatsheaf, under Morrells, in the High Street after her parents retired in 1955.

They were even known as the first pub in Oxford to get a refrigerator to serve cold beer in response to the American forces' request for cold beer and ice.

Mrs Blight ran the lounge, while her husband ran the public bar, at the Wheatsheaf.

Over the years they built up a strong reputation for their hospitality and friendship, with bank workers, solicitors, local business people and even journalists at The Oxford Mail.

Late reporter John Owen, who would often visit the pub with his dog, said about the Blights: "If anyone new anything about the English pub then it was them."

Mr and Mrs Blight retired from the Wheatsheaf in 1975 and moved to the newly built Southfield Park flats overlooking the first tee of Southfield Golf Course, where Mr Blight started indulging in his other passion.

The pair both began to lend a hand at the golf club, earning honorary life membership in recognition of their hard work

Mrs Blight finally fully retired in 1983, having never even swung a golf club.

She was widowed suddenly in 1985 when her husband died following a heart attack at home having played a full round of golf the previous day.

And at the age of 85 Mrs Blight suffered a large stroke and her independent life changed overnight.

She moved to the Lady Nuffield home in Summertown she was cared for until dying peacefully eight years later on June 27 2016.

Her funeral was held on July 19 in the church she was married in, St Michaels of the North Gate Oxford. Many of her old customers from The Wheatsheaf came to pay their respects.

She is survived by devoted daughter Kay, son Paul, grandchildren Natalie, 46, Natasha, 44, and her great granddaughter Sophia, aged five, as well as the nephew she raised Brian Rowden, 85.