Environmentally friendly Gay has her own private pool at her house, in Greenacres, Steyning, filled entirely by rainwater.

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She also uses wool to insulate her loft, grows her own vegetables and herbs in her garden, and always uses energy-saving lightbulbs.

Gay, 64, said her eco-mindedness was all down to her upbringing.

"I would refer to myself as a war baby.

"My children laugh at me because I save everything," she said.

Ultraviolet filter

She installed the pool – filled up by rainwater running off her roof and purified by an ultraviolet light filter – to save water and to teach grand-daughters Estelle, eight, and Emmeline, five, to swim.

She said: "I always wanted a swimming pool, but I couldn't afford a proper one.

"I swim in it every day and even some nights.

"When the neighbours are away, I can swim naked and no one can see me."

Water watcher

Gay also uses the clean, excess water for other tasks, including rinsing and washing.

"It's just great fun.

"My grand-daughters love it all.

"They've got a special pink bucket which they keep their bath water in to tip down the loo," she added.

"I keep my bath water for the toilet.

"Obviously, I have to empty it when visitors turn up, though."

Garden marvels

Gay grows nettles in her garden which are used to make soup, and elderflowers, which she uses to make home-made medicines for colds.

She said: "My grandmother, who was Italian, taught me to pick dandelions and things and to make things like coffee out of the dandelion roots.

"My grandmother used to say to me, 'When the end of the world comes, you'll be able to feed yourself and clothe yourself and warm yourself'."

As if all that weren't enough, Gay even heats her house using a log burner.

Low-cost
She said: "I realised how much wood there was just lying around to run the burner.

"When people are having building work, they leave me the wood.

"It saves them having to pay for a skip and I can use the wood.

"My gas bill for the winter quarter was £9."

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