A lady who ran a Cromer wallpaper and paint shop for more than 40 years has died at the age of 80.

Pamela Clarke was known to thousands of people during her four decades running family business GS Lane on Jetty Street and High Street.

For the last three years she has lived in Ipswich with her daughter and son-in-law, Lyn and Clive Baker. She died on September 25.

GS Lane was opened by Mrs Clarke's father Groom Sandal Lane in 1956.

Mrs Clarke, who went to North Walsham High School for Girls, worked as a hotel receptionist at Newhaven Court Hotel in Cromer, until she met and married Brian Clarke in 1960. They met at a dance in West Runton.

In 1961 their daughter Lyn was born, and in 1967 Groom Lane died. As her elder brother Peter did not want to take on the business, Mrs Clarke and her husband took on the shop - Mr Clarke leaving the police force to do so.

Over the next few years they bought the two shops and used the first floors for displays. They were also one of the first independent shops to buy a computerised paint mixing machine.

They grew to become the largest independent stockists of wallpaper in the eastern region.

A few years ago, Mrs Clarke compared her shop to the national chain outlets.

She said: 'They may be a lot bigger than us, but we provide top quality paints at a better price and we stock a greater choice of wallpapers.'

In May 2003 Mr Clarke died after 20 years of heart problems. Mrs Clarke continued to run the shop for a few years before retiring and moving to Ipswich.

? Mrs Clarke's funeral is at Cromer Parish Church On Friday October 12 at 12 noon, followed by burial at Cromer cemetery. Flowers or donations in aid of the Alzheimers Society can be given in church or sent c/o Fox's Funeral Services, 10 Canada Road, Cromer, NR27 9AH.