ARDENT fundraiser for animal charities Lesley Wright from South Zeal has died at the age of 90.

Lesley was one half of the duo 'Lesley and Meg's Pets' Rescue' and over a 15-year period the one woman and her dog team walked the coastal paths of Devon and Cornwall raising nearly £10,000 for rescue charities.

She was the youngest of five children and born in London on November 20, 1921. When she was old enough she joined the Merchant Navy as a Children's Steward aboard 'The Canton.'

She enjoyed travelling and seeing different cultures of the world. Lesley loved animals and always had as many as possible around her, even keeping a Marmoset monkey until it bit another member of staff!

When war broke out Lesley joined with a team launching The Barrage Balloons and liked the outdoor life of the London parks and working as a team.

Lesley had three children Nick, Karen and Sarah.

In 1984 she started doing her charity dog walks, carrying a rucksack on her back with tent and camping gear inside with Pippa her Jack Russell by her side walking usually about 50 miles.

Before each event Lesley would walk miles around the surrounding villages collecting sponsorship. One day someone suggested she should write a diary of her walk, which sparked 'The Walk Diaries'.

Even a bicycling accident and a year out following an eye operation never held her back and she went on raising money doing a shorter walk.

As Pippa grew older she got another dog Meg, a terrier cross whippet that soon fell into the way of the fund raising walks.

In the last two or three years of walking Lesley took the more comfortable option and stayed in guesthouses with Meg, enjoying a comfortable night's sleep with cooked breakfast to start the day.

Lesley raised more than £9,500 for her different dog or cat charities over the years and loved every minute – the dogs did too.

Sadly Meg died at aged 17 and Lesley missed her.

Lesley remained fiercely independent well into her 80s, in spite of many falls, supported by her youngest daughter Sarah and a part time carer. Lesley moved to Castle Ham in January 2011.

She enjoyed playing cards, dominoes and gardening on her patio and loved living there. She died in Okehampton Hospital with her family her side on July 2.