AN organist who played in the same church for more than 40 years has been remembered in a memorial service.

Isabel Harrison, died two weeks ago aged 81, first played in St Clare's Church, Newton Aycliffe, in the 1960s.

The service, on Thursday last week, followed a funeral in West Sussex, where she had moved to be near her son, Andy, and his family.

Music was a driving force in Mrs Harrison's life.

She was born and grew up in Crook, and was already playing the organ at Dawson Street Methodist Chapel when she married her husband, Rod.

Mr Harrison joined the police and sang in the force's male voice choir, as his wife played the piano.

The couple moved to Stillington, North Yorkshire, with their three sons Andy, Chris, who died in Sydney in 2000, and Jeff, who now lives in the US near Washington DC.

With Rod working long hours as the village bobby, Mrs Harrison shared her love of sport with her sons, teaching them to play football, tennis and cricket. She played the church organ and took part in village activities as well as working at Darchem, where she was involved in the construction of Concorde.

The family moved to Newton Aycliffe in 1963 when Mr Harrison was posted to police headquarters, on an industrial estate in the town.

Mrs Harrison joined St Clare's as well as the Newton Aycliffe Operatic Society, which made her a honorary life member in 1985.

She had a passion for wildlife, enjoyed knitting for her family and for children in Romania and had a wide knowledge of sporting facts. In her 70s she became a regular visitor to the US.

Andy Harrison said: "She lived her life simply, privately, but with an underlying faith.

"We'll miss her greatly and to live up to her example will be an enormous challenge."