THE life of community champion Muriel Pennington was celebrated at Burtonwood Methodist Church on Phipps Lane on Monday.

Muriel, who died on March 16, aged 87, was heralded as ‘bright as a button’ and a ‘pillar of the community’ by her family.

Son-in-law Steve Quennell said: “Her family have lived in Burtonwood for the past three or four generations. She is Burtonwood through and through.”

Muriel, of Lumber Lane, was heavily involved with the community and set up the mums and toddlers group in the village 25 years ago.

“After the mums and tots group, she would say to people ‘just come back to the house for tea’ and we would come home to a houseful,” said Steve.

“Burtonwood is such a close knit community and everybody knows each other. That’s what she loved about it.

“Having always lived in Burtonwood, it was the village spirit and the people that always kept her here.”

Muriel, who owned two hairdressers in Burtonwood and Earlestown, could never have imagined living anywhere but Burtonwood, said Steve.

She was married to professional football player James Pennington at the Burtonwood Methodist Church and had two daughters Janice and Kerry.

The mum-of-two had four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and also worked tirelessly for a number of charities and for the church.