This week's Looking Back is the result of a request from Bert Hull from Swindon. He was anxious to trace any reports or photos in the Journal in 1969 when his wife – then Francine Miers – was crowned Miss Pilton.

The couple had had one photo of her as Miss Pilton but over the years it had been mislaid.

And sadly Francine died ten years ago, just short of her 52nd birthday, after a long, brave battle against cancer.

Bert was keen to find any information about Francine as Miss Pilton to give to their daughter Sam, to give her strength and encouragement in time for the birth of her first child.

He remembered that Francine had laughingly told of him being "piped aboard" at the Pilton Show.

It did not take the Journal long to track down the story – and we were able to send a copy of the story and photograph to Bert so he could give it to Sam just before baby Gethin made his bouncing arrival into the world.

The Journal of August 8, 1969, records: "Takings were up, despite a big drop in entries at this year's Pilton flower show and fete, held at Pilton House on Saturday.

"More than £160 were raised for Pilton branch British Legion Funds, but entries in the flower show were thought to be the lowest for five years.

"Mr N Coleman, one of the organisers, who won the Jack Hiscox Cup for the sixth time and the Adelaide Leigh Challenge Bowl for the ninth time, thought that the low number of entries was the result of the prolonged dry spell, which came to an abrupt end last week.

"Miss Pilton 1969, Francine Miers of Wincanton, arrived by boat, sailing up an ornamental stream in the grounds of the house, to be crowned by the opener of the fete, Major General A H G Ricketts. While Shepton Mallet town band played 'Cruising down the river', she was rowed around the moat by Nigel Harris.

"Then she was piped ashore in true Navy fashion by Commander Brian Fairley, and was joined by her maids of honour, Elizabeth Strode of Haybridge, Wells, and Sylvia Butt, of Pilton. They had all been chosen at a dance organised by the village Playing Field Committee.

"General Ricketts opened the fete with a quotation from Shakespeare: 'Let joy be unconfined...'"

As a youngster Francine's family lived in Yarlington, near Castle Cary and she attended first The Hall School and then Ansford School.

She followed a nursing career and met Bert when he was a police officer. They worked in London until 1973, when Bert transferred from the Metropolitan Police to Wiltshire Constabulary and Francine worked at Princess Margaret's Hospital in Swindon for many years.

Bert, who was delighted to receive the Journal report, recalls that Francine – known as Fran – only went along to the Miss Pilton dance to support her sister Pippa who wanted to enter, but she ended up with the crown instead!

Bert says there maybe many in the area who may remember her as a young girl, or even as Miss Pilton.

"She was a wonderful woman and a beloved wife and mother," he said. And he said throughout the five-year ordeal of her illness, she had shown great courage and fortitude.

He said: "If she had been a soldier, a decoration for bravery would have been a well-deserved tribute."