TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Mayor of Droitwich who died this week.

Audrey Isaacs, who was a Droitwich town councillor between 1991 and 1999 and served a term as Mayor in 1995/96, died on Monday following a long illness.

She had been off sick from her job as community development officer at Worcester City Council since January.

Worcester City councillor and former Mayor of Worcester Coun Margaret Layland, who had known Mrs Isaacs on both a personal and professional level for 12 years, said she was deeply saddened by the news of her death.

"I've always held her in very high esteem," she said.

"I knew she had been poorly but was desperately hoping she would get better and be able to return to work.

"She has done so much for the youth in Dines Green by working closely with youngsters, staff and volunteers at both the Green Centre and Streets Ahead youth group."

Alan Poiner, a city council community worker for Tolladine and Brickfields who worked with Mrs Isaacs four years ago, said he may not have taken up his current role had it not have been for her encouragement.

"I always used to do this voluntarily but Audrey was the one who spurred me on to get professional training," he said.

"We worked closely together and I suppose you could say she was my mentor."

Droitwich councillor Peter Pinfield said Mrs Isaacs was well known and respected throughout the town for her youth work and community involvement.

"She will be dearly missed," he added.

Mrs Isaacs was born in Birmingham in 1947 and educated at Turves Green Secondary Modern School for Girls.

She then served as an apprentice baker and confectioner before marrying her Army husband Victor - also a former mayor of Droitwich - in 1966.

The couple lived in 10 places over the next 11 years including Leicester, Sandhurst and Germany, before settling in Droitwich in 1981.

It was during her married life that Mrs Isaacs developed a strong interest in helping the young and she became a full-time community worker with Worcester City Council based at Tolladine Community Centre and then at Orchard House in Farrier Street.

In Droitwich, she ran the Spa Advice Centre, was chairman of the Droitwich Unemployment Project and worked extensively with the young unemployed.