STELLA Ross-Collins, from Much Hadham, has received an MBE in the New Year's honours list.

The 87-year-old, who was born in Barnet, has been given the award in recognition of her work with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in the Barnet area.

Mrs Ross-Collins said: "I am totally surprised at this honour and I would like to express my enormous appreciation. I look upon this honour as complementing the work of the NSPCC."

She added: "I've always been so at home in the company of children and young people. It seemed like a natural thing, when I first had some spare time, to do something connected to the welfare of children."

Mrs Ross-Collins first volunteered her services for the charity in 1937 when she worked as a member of the League of Pity. In 1949 she became secretary of the Hadley Wood district branch and in 1972 president of the Barnet branch of the NSPCC.

In 1989 she became an honorary member of the NSPCC council.

Much of her time has been spent raising funds for the charity, and to that end she compiled a book entitled Christmas Traditions, Customs and Food across Europe, to raise money for the charity.

In its first year the book sold 7,000 copies, raising £40,000.

Mrs Ross-Collins said her work for children had become a way of life. "I believe so strongly that cruelty against children must stop," she said.

Mrs Ross-Collins has lived in Much Hadham for five years.