Wigan's first female surgeon, 90, gets star on town's Walk of Fame

Miss Fussell, who was Wigan’s first female surgeon - and at one time only one of six in the country - was surrounded by friends and family as her star was unveiled at a private ceremony in Believe Square.

A pioneering surgeon she was the first woman to carry out operations in the theatres of Wigan’s hospitals. Last year she celebrated her 90th birthday with a special celebration organised by the local Soroptimists, an organisation she has also been involved with for decades.

Born in Bristol in 1929, she was accepted to read medicine at Birmingham University aged just 17 and came to Wigan in 1970 to become consultant surgeon general.

At the time she was one of just six female surgeons in the country but had always shown impressive determination to break down barriers.

She said: “I did not think much of the physics and chemistry teaching at my first school, so I persuaded my dad to send me to an all boys school where the science teaching was better.”

Before arriving in the borough she spent five years working in New York City and credited that Stateside experience with helping her land the top job at Wigan Infirmary.

She went on to perform a series of top NHS roles, including chairing the medical executive committee and the area medical committee.

Her incredible career was also recognised by Wigan Council in 2000 when she was one of 10 notable borough residents made freemen of the borough as part of the millennium celebrations.

She was also named a Lady of Substance by The Lady magazine in 2015.