A LAND Girl who was one of 30 women working the farms around Okehampton was formally thanked for her wartime efforts by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Betty Underhill (pictured left) was one of 50 women who went to No 10 Downing Street last month to receive commemorative badges for keeping the country supplied with food and timber during the second world war.
The surviving members of the Women's Land Army (WLA) and the Women's Timber Corps (WTC) were individually thanked by Mr Brown.
He said: 'We have been slow to thank you. We could have done this years ago but I'm pleased that we can do it now.'
Mr Brown added that out of all the events held at Downing Street there was none more 'special' than the ceremony with the so-called Land Girls and Lumber Jills who he said were owed a 'huge debt of gratitude' for their role in the war effort.
The women, who represented more than 30,000 Land Girls and Lumber Jills who will receive the badge this year, collected their gift from Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary.
He said it was a pleasure to present the women with their badges and certificates.
Mrs Underhill from Cheriton Bishop said she was only one of two women from Devon from the WLA who were chosen for the award.
She said it was early in July when she received the call from London saying that she had been nominated to receive a commemorative badge and certificate for her years of service with the WLA.
Mrs Underhill said: 'Only 50 were invited to attend this ceremony, which I consider to be an honour.
'We were shown around No 10 and went into the Cabinet Room, and saw the gardens, and again more refreshements were available whilst we sat and talked of our past experiences.
'This was an amazing experience to have the opportunity to go into No 10 Downing Street and one I shall not forget.'