MARY Phillips of Delabole has been awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Mary received the award for services to charity particularly the Devon and Cornwall Air Ambulances.

For over 60 years she has been actively been involved in fundraising for various charities in the community.

She is truly an inspirational lady who has undauntingly driven her vintage tractor the length of Great Britain as well as organising vintage tractor rallies and runs around the county.

Mary has travelled miles at her own expense, spent hours of her time in a most generous manner, to raise money for the Cornwall and Devon Air Ambulance Trusts, which has been a vital service to the people of Devon and Cornwall.

Her greatest achievement has been her vintage tractor drives in her 1953 Field Marshall Series 3A tractor in 2012 when she drove 975 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End at 9mph, taking 17 days which raised £15,000 for Cornwall and Devon Air Ambulance and then repeated the journey in reverse from Land’s End to John O’Groats the following year covering 1,188 miles in 17 days, raising a further £12,500.

Over the years she has raised in excess of £56,000 from her tractor drives. Other charities which have benefitted from her tireless fund raising ventures includes local churches, the Guide Dogs for the Blind and Cancer Research UK.