A WOMAN from Yelverton, believed to be the oldest surviving 'Land Army' member from the second world war in the country, enjoyed a special cream tea with West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox on Friday.

Beatrice Pyle, who lives in Yelverton and is 95, was one of 80,000 young women during the 1939-45 conflict who served in the Land Army by helping to produce the food that kept the country going.

She first made contact with the MP when he invited her to an event in Merton, which he organised last November, to thank the Land Girls for their hard work and contribution to the war effort.

On Friday they were joined by Beatrice's daughter Marianne and her husband Peter Mayland at the Bedford Hotel in Tavistock, where Beatrice told Mr Cox of her wartime experiences.

Beatrice, who was born in Roborough in 1914, was called up aged 25 from her home on a farm in Kingsbridge.

She was a driver for the Admiralty for two years before and during the war; however the officer she drove died in the Plymouth bombings and as a result, Beatrice became a Land Girl.

She was the daughter of a farmer and so keeping the land came naturally to her, and she was able to show many of the other girls what to do.

Mr Cox said: 'I remember last November when there were around a 100 people present and Mrs Pyle was the eldest there.

'It is well worth celebrating all those women from the Land Army and the Lumber Jills, and remembering what they achieved at a time when our country was in a dire emergency.

'They were just young girls, many of whom had to make the sacrifice of leaving their families and work in an alien environment to serve their country.

'I wanted to show my gratitude to her and do my best to represent the community, who I am sure also are very grateful to her and all the Land Girls.'

Marianne told the Times: 'It was so nice of Geoffrey to take the time and make the effort to see mum, who deserves all the attention for what she, and other women, like her have contributed to their country.'

Mr Cox has now invited Beatrice, along with Marianne and Peter, to a tour of the Houses of Parliament and to enjoy another cream tea —this time on the terrace over looking the River Thames.