14238/1/ASCountess June Badeni has achieved every writer's dream by having her work included in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

The 79-year-old from Norton, near Malmesbury, wrote about English poet Alice Meynell, of whom she published a biography in 1981.

Delighted with the distinction, Countess Badeni said: "I was very pleased to have my work published. I like Alice Meynell very much because her poetry it very beautiful. It is full of thought, and she was an intellectual and spiritual person. I like that kind of poetry very much.

"I have always loved writing and I particularly enjoy the classics such as Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy and Shakespeare. The wonderful plots and the way they use the English language make for excellent reading. Because of this I seldom read contemporary novels. I enjoy writing very much. It is a creative activity and it gives me peace of mind and the freedom to explore a subject."

She said her achievement might be the only Oxford Dictionary contribution from the Malmesbury area.

Countess Badeni, a widow, has also had a biography of poet-farmer John Claire published.

Before becoming a writer, the Countess worked in the Foreign Office where her work remains highly confidential.

She received her title after marrying a Polish aristocrat Jan Badeni who flew with the Polish Air Force before joining the RAF during World War Two.