A war-time film extra from Borehamwood has died at the age of 91.

Doris Church had lived in the town for the past 55 years after moving to Carlton Close with her husband John and son Tony in 1963.

But her connection with the area went back a further two decades when the then mother-of-one was asked by a friend to accompany her to Elstree Studios one day during the Second World War to take part in some filming.

Despite never having done any acting before Mrs Church went on to appear as an extra in 11 films created at various studios between 1942 and 1945, including Caesar and Cleopatra where she played an Egyptian dancer and We’ll Smile Again alongside Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen.

She also appeared in The Bells Go Down and Millions Like Us.

Her daughter, Sally Ryan, 62, said: “She used to tell me she loved appearing in the films because all the food was on rationing but when you went to the studios there was always fantastic catering and a packed lunch and because Elstree was considered in the country then they used to sit outside and have their lunch with all the stars.”

When the war ended and Mrs Church fell pregnant with Sally, she turned her focus once more to caring for a baby and gave up the acting, but according to Mrs Ryan, she always recalled with fondness her time spent as a film extra.

She said: “My daughter Kate works in TV and one day my mum went with her to the BBC and she had all the directors and people that work there in stitches as she told them the stories about when she was in the films.”

Mrs Ryan described her mum, who had two children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, as someone who loved life.

She said: “Until about 18 months ago she was in Borehamwood high street every day and she knew everyone. She couldn’t walk down the road without people stopping her.

“She loved life. She laughed all the time. She found amusement in nearly every situation and was on the whole a really happy person. She just loved socialising and being around people.”

Mrs Church’s health deteriorated over the past 18 months and she died on August 24 following a fall which left her with a broken arm and a subsequent spell of pneumonia.

Her funeral was held at Golders Green Crematorium on September 2.