Tributes have been paid to the first Miss Shipley who has died aged 85.

Betty Hoyle died, following a short illness, on Monday in Leicester, where she was visiting her daughter Gilvrie Baron.

At the age of 18 she was chosen as the first Miss Shipley in the summer of 1934, officiating at the Shipley Gala and a host of charity events over the subsequent 12 months and helping to raise £1,000 for Shipley Hospital.

But almost 70 years on many of the town's older residents still have fond memories of Betty's time as Miss Shipley.

Her son Graham said: "She was a very good looking lady - it was basically a beauty contest she won but in those days the world was a much smaller place and those elements of local celebrity were much more significant than they would be today.''

He said his mother had remained a local celebrity throughout her life on the strength of her time as Miss Shipley, adding: "Whenever she walked down to Asda a lot of the older people would recognise her. They were always stopping her so they could talk to her about the old times and her '15 minutes of fame'.

"It's become a bit of family folklore and something she's always been very proud of and had continual reminders about. She was very highly regarded and a very popular person.''

Betty, who worked as a volunteer fire watcher in Shipley during the Second World War, married her long-time dance partner, Jack Hoyle, at St Margaret's Church, Frizinghall, in 1946 and 50 years later the Telegraph & Argus reported on their golden wedding celebrations.

As well as her son and daughter, Betty, who was widowed four years ago, leaves two grandchildren, Roger and Alexandra Knight.

A funeral service is to be held at Nab Wood Crematorium on Friday, March 15, at 2.30pm.

Mrs Hoyle had been a diabetic for more than 30 years and mourners are being asked to make a donation in her memory, in lieu of flowers, to the research and support charity Diabetes UK.