THREE members of the Women's Institute in Wiltshire had the honour of holding the Queen's Golden Jubilee Baton on its way to the Commonwealth Games.

Taking on part of the Swindon leg was Jane Catchpole, a member of the Ellendune branch, who has suffered from ME for the past 20 years.

Pat Rodger, spokeswoman for the Wiltshire Women's Institute, said: "The Wiltshire Federation was asked to nominate people who it felt deserved the unique honour of helping the baton on its way to the games.

"The nominees had to be those who have made a special contribution to their community, improved the lives of others or achieved a personal goal against the odds."

The two other women chosen from the Wiltshire Federation of Women's Institutes were from the Broughton Gifford branch.

They were Jeanette Cole, a rheumatoid arthritis sufferer confined to a wheelchair, and federation chairman Kathy Wright who has undergone a kidney transplant.

The baton was eventually carried into the Manchester Stadium for the opening ceremony of the games.