A former Bradford councillor has died suddenly at the age of 67 from a heart attack only days after a sunshine break to Spain.

Molly Clayburn, who represented Thornton for the Conservatives in the 1990s, passed away at her home in the village.

Her daughter Debbie Brierley, 47, said her mother's death had come as a shock because she had seemed to be in good health and enjoying life. She had just returned from a holiday with her partner Keith Illingworth and friends.

Mrs Clayburn was elected to the Council after she became involved with Thornton Conservative Club of which she remained a member and in her time there had served as a chairman, treasurer and secretary.

Mrs Brierley said: "Mum was a fun-loving lady who liked to keep busy. She enjoyed her holidays in the sun, kept her involvement in the village and played crown green bowls for the veterans. This has come as a terrible shock for us all."

Mrs Clayburn had take early retirement from her accountancy job in Bradford 12 years ago and was enjoying time spent with her family including her son Robert Clayburn and her grandchildren Catherine and Jonathan Brierley.

Her funeral will take place at Scholemoor Crematorium on Wednesday at 1.20pm.

Donations will be split between the British Heart Foundation and CancerResearch UK.

Next week will also see the funeral of a former Lady Mayoress of Bradford, Joyce Lightowler whose husband Arnold was Lord Mayor in 1980.

Mrs Lightowler died suddenly aged 89 at her home in Boroughbridge. Her funeral will take place on Monday at St James’s Church in the town at 1.30pm.

Mrs Lightowler was a founder member of the Shipley Ladies Coffee Club and attended Shipley Ladies Luncheon Club for many years until infirmity affected her ability to travel from Boroughbridge, where she and her husband had lived for some 20 years.