GLAMOROUS comedy queen and community dynamo Norah Holland has died at the age of 82.

Villagers have spoken of the vitality of their very own leading lady whose enthusiasm permeated to the very core of village life.

Norah, who lived in Woodside Avenue, Flackwell Heath, pushed for a new youth club when the community centre opened 40 years ago and helped youngsters create a thriving group which still runs to this day.

Close friend of 40 years Olwen Morgan has taken on Norah's Tibetan terrier Bentley.

She said: "Norah was absolutely marvellous so incandescent and full of life. You couldn't ask for a better friend."

But it was not just at home that Norah took the lead.

Her tumbling blonde hair and uncanny resemblance to Joan Sims of the Ealing Comedy team led to her being chosen as her studio stand-in throughout the actress's long career.

Her life in the movies started out rather humbly after she was asked to dye the manes and tails of horses for filming.

It was through this work that she struck up a strong friendship with Joan Sims which was to last a lifetime.

Back home her movie experience was not lost on the youngsters at the youth club.

Her young performers got the star treatment too as they went about putting on shows in the village.

Norah designed their clothes, styled their hair and worked on ideas for their many flamboyant plays.

Olwen said: "She would take the children off to the studios and the BBC. They were over the moon to get the chance to do such exciting things."

Daughters Patricia, known as Pidge, and Jane, brought many years of happiness to Norah as did later her two grandsons Christopher and Paul.

Norah's younger years were spent travelling the world with her airline pilot husband Les who died some years ago.

Many villagers will remember the hilarious address given by Norah on the retirement of popular doctor Douglas Fergusson. She spoke on behalf of everyone when she praised his outstanding service to the village between amusing 'doctoring' tales.

And fittingly it was Dr Fergusson who spoke at Norah's funeral last Tuesday.

He said: "It's hard to believe that Norah was 82. She was one lady who didn't look her age."