THE funeral of a former city councillor and Lord Mayor of Oxford will take place tomorrow.

Veteran Labour politician Carole Roberts died aged 71 on August 9, a week after receiving a national award from her party. She represented Northfield Brook, Rose Hill and Iffley and Temple Cowley on Oxford City Council and received the accolade for her “distinguished history of service”.

A private funeral for Mrs Roberts is due to take place in the morning, followed by a memorial celebration at St Mary’s Church, Iffley, at 11am.

Her family said all were welcome, with casual dress recommended.

The great-grandmother, who grew up in Oxford, served as Lord Mayor in 1998/99, after previously holding the titles of Deputy Lord Mayor and Sheriff.

She vowed to be the “people’s mayor” and stuck to a pledge to never turn down an invitation to visit charitable groups.

She also helped thousands of people while managing the Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre, which she joined in 1989 as the first advice worker.

Earlier this month, she was praised by city council leader Bob Price as “one of the city’s leading councillors for many years in the 1980s and 1990s”.

She died at the Churchill Hospital after a battle with cancer and is survived by three children, 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.