TRIBUTES have been paid to a Barry woman, whose actions led to her being honoured by the Queen, following her death.

Dilys Colbourne, of Crossfield Road, died on Sunday, June 2.

Mrs Colbourne formed the action group which stopped shops being built on Barry's Central Park, adjacent to King Square, and helped keep the town hall and library available for the public.

She was awarded the MBE for her services to the community in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 2006.

As secretary of the Barry Citizens Action Group she drove a 21-year campaign to keep the park as an important 'green lung' in the town centre.

Vale AM, Jane Hutt said it was with “great sadness” that she had learned of Mrs Colbourne’s death.

Ms Hutt said: “Dilys was a pioneering and visionary campaigner playing a leading role in the Barry Citizens Action Group.

“She successfully fought the campaign to keep Central Park ‘green’ obtaining funding to refurbish the Park with play facilities and sculptures and the rebuilding of the library and art gallery.

“Obtaining Green Flag status for Central Park was a triumph in 2014 and I joined the ceremony with the late mayor of Barry Town Council, councillor Jeff Evans.

“My most recent memories take me to Cwm Talwg Nature Reserve on a Sunday morning with a flask of coffee and a working party to keep the Woodland habitable for birds and wildlife led by Dilys Colbourne MBE.

“My sincerest condolences and thoughts are with her family. We celebrate her life as a great citizen of Barry.”

2006/7 Vale mayor, Cllr Nic Hodges said: "Following the opening of the new Barry Library in January 2007, as mayor, I held a civic blessing of the building not long after.

“It was an honour to invite Dilys to the event in recognition and celebration of all her hard work.

“I will miss her, she truly loved her town."

Buttrills ward Vale and town councillor, Cllr Ian Johnson said he was sad to hear the news that Mrs Colbourne had died.

“I knew her for many years, having been a child at the playgroup which she ran at the former Windsor Road United Church,” he said. “Dilys was always full of life. She loved Central Park and was always keen to bend my ear on the issue of the day, whether that be child refugees or Fairtrade.

“At the recent Barry Town Council AGM a few weeks ago, she stopped for a conversation about animal rights issues that were troubling her. Everybody who knew her will miss her.”