Tributes have been paid to a retired baker who "saw generations of people grow" through her Warndon bakery, following her death at the age of 88.

Rosemary Barriscale and her husband, Sam Barriscale, opened The Hot Bake in Warndon, Worcester in 1969 before the bakery was passed onto their son, Sam Barriscale, in 2010, who changed its name to Ma Baker's as it's known today.

Rosemary, who lived in Lower Wick, died at her home on Sunday, August 18.

Her son, Sam Barriscale - who sold Ma Baker's in 2022 - said: "Anyone who grew up in Warndon over the last 50 years knew her.

"She had seen generations of people grow through running the business, and she had made it a proper community bakery.

"I think she hired three generations of people across at least two families, and must have employed over 100 people in total."

Born on March 21, 1936, Rosemary was raised in Plymouth, Devon and attended Kingsbridge Girls Grammar School.

Having met her future husband Sam in Kingsbridge, they moved to Worcester in the 1960s and ran convenience shop VG Stores in Warndon before opening a bakery.

Rosemary and her husband, Sam Barriscale, opened the bakery together in Warndon, Worcester. (Image: Sam Barriscale)

Mr Barriscale said: "They had the idea of making everything fresh right at the front of the bakery so that people could see it all happening as they walk in.

"Mum would be in at 4am each day to start baking and she rarely took any holidays.

"The lardy cakes were popular - just lard, flour, sultanas, sugar and more sugar."

"Once they were in the window, they were gone within an hour."

Rosemary's husband, Sam, died in 1993 and she continued to own and run Ma Baker's, formerly known as The Hot Bake, until her retirement in 2010.

Mr Barriscale said: "She had a great sense of humour and could be incredibly sarcastic.

"But she was incredibly kind and never judged anyone - she just saw the best in them."

Rosemary is survived by her four sons Sam, Greg, Nigel, and James.

Her funeral service will be held at Astwood Cemetery, Worcester on Thursday, September 12 at 1pm.