ROSEMARY Jones first started collecting for the Royal British Legion (RBL) poppy appeal 55 years ago - and at 82 she's not going to stop.

Rosemary's remarkable achievement was saluted by the RBL with a long service award presented at this year's Herefordshire Poppy Appeal Awards.

This year's 19 long service award winners together racked up well over 400 years of service between them.

Rosemary, of The Rose Garden retirement village, Hereford, is well ahead on 55 years, sustained, she said, by what the RBL represents.

With no direct link to the military of her own, she started collecting door-to-door in and around Eign Road, Hereford, graduated to delivering poppies to pubs and schools, stood for street collections in High Town, and now sells poppies in Morrisons.

Rosemary could be a great-grand parent to the teenage cadets of Air Training Corps 151 Squadron Leominster.

The squadron was saluted on the night too, winning the Sir Thomas Dunne Cup for the highest amount collected by a unit - £7,958 - for the ninth year running.

Army, navy and air force cadet units across the county raised nearly £18,000 boosted by a four figure sum from scouts, guides and brownies.

Individual community fundraisers brought in over £24,000 and business near £66,000.

On the night, all were united by what the military - and this county's contribution to the military - meant to them.

The event's hosts, Hereford & Ludlow College, came away with an award of their own for £12,200 raised.

At present, the county's poppy appeal total stands at £242,542 with an average per head donation rate of £123.85 that puts Herefordshire in second place nationwide on 2013-14 results.

Community fundraiser for the appeal Liz Parker said the 2014-15 results expected in September showed every sign of being "even more impressive" after a bumper year.

Presenting the awards, HM Lord Lieutenant for Herefordshire Lady Darnley, paid particular tribute to Herefordshire Council and the way it was interpreting the Armed Forces Covenant encouraging businesses, social enterprises and charities to support veterans, reservists, and service wives or partners.

The covenant is a voluntary statement of support with a starting point around what measures a a business or organisation can set out as a pledge.

"For all its troubles, the council has never once failed on the covenant," said Lady Darnley.