MOVING tributes have been made following the death of a Bradwell pensioner in a house fire last week.Grace Lilian Crome, 91, was described as a “quiet and unassuming character, but fiercely independent,” by fellow members of the village's Gardening Club.

MOVING tributes have been made following the death of a Bradwell pensioner in a house fire last week.

Grace Lilian Crome, 91, was described as a “quiet and unassuming character, but fiercely independent,” by fellow members of the village's Gardening Club.

Miss Crome died on New Year's Eve after fire broke out in the hallway entrance of her Beccles Road home - believed to have been caused by an electrical fault in a heater. There was no smoke alarm in the property.

Gardening Club treasurer Chris Jones recalled her crowning moment came when she won the Les Stocker Narcissi Cup in March 1996 for having the best exhibit in the displays of Narcissi. But she regularly produced bouquets of flowers picked from her garden.

Aside from her involvement with the Gardening Club, Miss Crome was a devout churchgoer and regularly attended St Nicholas' Church in Bradwell for Sunday services.

Four Gardening Club members, chairman Heather Jones, Chris Jones, and committee members Eva Woodrow and Frances Swanston recalled how one incident summed up the indomitable spirit of Miss Crome, during a visit to Houghton Hall in Norfolk in July 2007.

The club was on a coach trip to the stately home when Miss Crome came across an electric buggy for the first time.

Mr Jones said: “They had the electric buggies and she was whizzing round the gardens laughing her head off. She did not miss many outings at all with us. She was always keen to take part.”

The four also recalled how she had reacted with a surprised “What? For me?” when club members presented her with a birthday cake for her 90th birthday.

Mrs Jones said: “She was so thrilled. She really appreciated things and never took anything for granted.”

Miss Crome joined the club shortly after it was founded in 1982, and would always attend meetings and exhibitions even when old age restricted her mobility.

They recalled how she always entered displays for the club's three table shows at Green Lane community centre in Bradwell in March, June and September each year as well as the club's two day show at Homefield Primary School in Bradwell every July.

Travelling was another passion of hers and the countries she had visited included South Africa and China, where she saw the famous Terracotta Army.

A former BT telephonist, Miss Crome had lived at her home for 60 years.

Mrs Jones said: “Lilian was a lovely lady, she had respect and love for life and this radiated to the people around her. She will be sadly missed by the club and its members.”