Remembered as a pioneering figure in women's cue sports, Selby received an MBE in the 2015 Birthday Honours for her services to snooker and billiards.

When she was 36, former British amateur billiards and snooker champion Alf Nolan saw her playing with her husband at the Coxlodge Club in Newcastle and started coaching her.

[4] In 1976, she became the inaugural winner of the World Women's Snooker Championship, claiming the title by beating Muriel Hazeldine 4–0 in the final.

[11] Vera Danby[12] was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire, where her father was manager of the Freeman, Hardy and Willis shop.

[3] She worked as a senior art, textile, and dress designer lecturer at the former Newcastle Polytechnic from 1972 until 1983, when she took early retirement aged 53.