A FORMER Leigh head teacher had died - just two months before her 90th birthday.

Mrs Alice Hatton, of Dorothy Grove, Leigh (pictured), who retired as head of Bedford St Thomas' CE School in 1969, died in the early hours of Sunday after a short illness.

Born in Walter Street she was educated in Leigh, Warrington and London.

She began her teaching career at Patricroft in 1931, but soon returned to teach in Leigh.

She married Herbert Hatton and combined her teaching career with farming at Bradshawleach Farm, which stood on the site of the present Pennington Country Park.

She had two children, Peter and Margaret, and was widowed in 1971.

After retirement she maintained her interest and involvement in the local community through her membership of the Business and Professional Women's Institute, the Townswomen's Guild, Mothers' Union and Townsend Fellowship and was on the committee of the Leigh Children's Holiday Fund.

She was a member of Leigh Music Society and threatre club.

At the end of December she welcomed the arrival of her first great grandchild.

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