She was a member of the ladies tea circle, which included Ivy (Jane Freeman), Pearl (Juliette Kaplan), Edie (Dame Thora Hird) and the more naïve Glenda (Sarah Thomas).
When Compo pointed out Nora's famous wrinkled stockings, forced himself on her or surprised her, she would either drag Wally out in a failed attempt to put him off or assault him with the harder end of her broomstick.
Although initially a stern Northern "battleaxe", Nora showed on occasion, particularly as the years passed, that underneath she is actually a rather caring and kind woman — although she doesn't openly promote the fact.
Staff actually left the series in 2001, to reprise her role as cleaner Doris Luke in the revival of the ITV soap opera Crossroads, with Nora said to be emigrating to Australia.
With Staff unable to appear in Series 30 because of ill health, Nora again left for Australia, this time to care for her elder sister, Madge.