THE sudden death has occurred of a member of one of Herefordshire's best-known farming families.

Mrs Kit Fraser, formerly of The Porch House, Westhide, died on Friday while staying with friends at Glebe Cottage, Westhide. She was 84.

She was a doyenne of the pedigree cattle world. Young stock from her herds of Herefords and Jerseys carried the acclaimed Westhide prefix which made them sought-after by breeders all over the world.

In recent years, Mrs Fraser had spent most of her time in Western Australia, following a road accident.

Some of the Westhide Estate was broken up and The Porch House sold along with its contents. The live and dead farming stock was also dispersed.

Throughout her life she had been a keen supporter of the North Hereford Hunt and a lifelong member of the Golden Retriever Gundog Society.

A memorial service is to be held this Saturday at Westhide Church at 2pm. Mrs Fraser's final resting place will be back on the Western Australian property at Hyden.