A renowned childbirth expert from Oxfordshire has died following a battle with cancer.

Standlake resident Sheila Kitzinger died at her home in the village yesterday at the age of 86.

The Oxford University graduate wrote more than 25 books about childbirth, maternity care and women's rights and had recently completed her autobiography, which is due to be published next month.

Her husband Uwe, 86, said: "She was quite a remarkable woman.

"Until three days ago she was eating chocolates and drinking champagne."

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Mrs Kitzinger, who was diagnosed with cancer last year, was born in Somerset and moved to Oxford to attend Ruskin College and St Hugh's College.

She graduated in 1951 and married Mr Kitzinger the following year.

The couple had five daughters - Celia, Nell, Tessa, Polly and Jenny.

Her oldest daughter Celia, a professor at the University of York, said: "Sheila taught me, from an early age, that the personal was political, not just by what she said but by what she did.

"As I was growing up I learnt from her campaigns for freedom and choice in childbirth that passionate and committed individuals can create social change.

"She never hesitated to speak truth to power."

Her autobiography A Passion for Birth: My Life, anthropology, family and feminism, will be published by Pinter and Martin next month.