ONE of Worcester's best-known milliners, who spent more than 40 years in business in the city, has died.

Janet Wheeler died at Ronkswood on Sunday, aged 64, following a fight against cancer.

Miss Wheeler fell into millinery after starting out designing bridal wear when she left Samuel Southall school.

She soon found designing hats to be a labour of love.

While she also excelled at making bridal wear, her hats were soon in great demand for grandiose events such as Royal Ascot and Buckingham Palace tea parties.

Miss Wheeler's sister Pat Berryman said: "She loved what she did.

"Janet was a very lively person and was very well known. She loved to talk and she loved her customers. She was very artistic at school and was gifted at what she did. It was her life really."

Miss Wheeler, who recently had a business at Bibi fashions in Copenhagen Street, previously worked from Worcester stores, including Dewitts and Armstrongs, and at Warwick House, in Malvern.

She lived all her life in the Belmont Street house where she was born. She was an elder and chorister at the United Reformed Church.

Miss Wheeler is survived by Pat, another sister Christine Taylor, and five nieces and nephews.

The funeral is at 11am on Tuesday, November 27, at the United Reformed Church, with burial at Astwood Cemetery.

Flowers or donations should be sent to the Macmillan Unit at Evesham Community Hospital.