MUCH-loved Cradley midwife and campaigner Betty Holden has died at the age of 78.

She served as the community midwife in Cradley and the surrounding area for more than 25 years delivering hundreds of children into the world over two and sometime three generations of the same family.

Mrs Holden also did work for the National Child Birth Trust and gave talks in schools around the borough to promote healthy living Then in later life, despite suffering a heart attack in 1988, she fought hard to help get Dudley borough a DEXA Scanner to help diagnose osteoporosis while working tirelessly to raise funds for some of her other chosen charities.

She also helped set up both exercise groups and lunch clubs for senior citizens - some of which are still going today – and was a strong supporter of the British Lung Foundation after her husband Lewis died from emphysema in 1994 Her eldest daughter, Jane Evans, said: "If I and my two twin sisters achieve half as much between us as mum did, we will have done very well indeed".

Having trained in Leeds and Birmingham, Mrs Holden qualified as a midwife in 1959 and arrived in Cradley in 1962 working out of an NHS house in Meres Road before moving to her long time home in Two Gates Lane, Colley Gate, where she remained the district midwife until 1985.

She was then appointed head of midwifery in Redditch, but the heart attack forced her premature retirement in 1989.

Mrs Evans recalls: "It really was a case of 'Call the Midwife' in her early days. She would cycle to many of her appointments and would tell us tales how she had to push her bike up Beacher Street when it snowed.

"It was a time when many women still had their babies at home, so she was always on call.

"She used to love her Christmas babies in particular. There were many occasions when I would wake up on Christmas morning and mum would be gone.

"Even in her later life, she loved babies and would always gravitate towards them.

"She was also a trained nurse and we would always have people knocking on the door with cuts and other injuries.

"We couldn't go anywhere without people coming up to her, she was that well known. She was always there for everyone "After mum retired, she would help raise funds for her favourite charities such as the British Heart Foundation and Breath Easy.

"She made jams, chutneys, marmalade, cakes and even peg bags. Then she would sell them at her exercise groups."

Mrs Holden’s nursing skills didn't go unnoticed and she received the prestigious Isobel Morcom Award in 1983 for community nursing in Dudley - a prize that is only handed out every four years.

She also worked for almost 10 years to get the DEXA Scanner in her role as secretary of the Dudley and District Support Group of the National Osteoprosis Society.

Mrs Evans added: "Mum went to all the area health authority meetings and kept putting pressure on them to obtain a scanner. She wouldn't give up until they got one. She could be very formidable when she wanted to be".

Her determination paid off and Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust finally splashed out £200,000 to provide a screening and osteoporosis service at Corbett Hospital which was officially opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair nine years ago during his farewell tour.

Mrs Holden leaves, three daughters, one grandchild and two step grandchildren.

Her funeral will take place at Stourbridge Crematorium on Thursday, November 6 at 12.20pm.

It will be followed by a service of celebration at Fatherless Barn Chapel in Hedgefield Grove, Halesowen.

Donations will be split between the charities close to her heart and can be sent to funeral directors Trevor Hickton, of Cradley Heath, or by contacting them on 01384 569569.