TRIBUTES have been paid to a promette who used to guide tourists around Brighton's seafront in the 1950s and "touched the lives of so many".

Hazel Legg, a chief Promette in 1965 and 1957, died peacefully at her home in Southwick on Friday, aged 87.

Her daughter Karen Tearle paid tribute to an adored mother ahead of her funeral on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old, of Storrington, said: "She had a fantastic personality. She was a vivacious, bubbly character.

"She had so many friends, she touched the lives of so many people."

Mrs Legg also leaves behind grandson Daniel, 40, granddaughter Karla, 37, and great-granddaughter Emily, seven.

Mrs Tearle added: "She was so proud to be a Promette and very proud of her great-granddaughter.

"I've still got her Promette lighter now with her initials on it which she would offer to visitors to use. I think it must be 60 years old now.

"She always found it funny how regularly she was interviewed about being a Promette."

Trainee models were picked for the role and were smartly dressed like air hostesses to offer advice and answer questions from tourists.

Their supervisor was strict on the appearance of their uniforms and they had to abide by a number of rules.

They had to know how to speak a second language, they were not allowed to smoke or date people they met and should avoid approaching a man with a wife or girlfriend, according to a documentary on the roles by British Pathé in 1956.

They helped tourists light cigarettes, post postcards, find landmarks and to get cinema information.

Mrs Legg saw an advert in The Argus for models at Vogue Mannequin School in Holland Road and joined.

For two summers Mrs Legg, then known as Hazel Beier, and at 27 slightly older than her fellow Promettes - worked weekends for three months during the summer.

Last year, when the city was looking to revive the 1950s tradition with a 21st century twist, Mrs Legg told The Argus the work helped her get into catalogue modelling.

She told The Argus that being a Promette "wasn’t hard work, it was pleasurable.

She added: “People would ask us all sorts of things, like what’s on at the cinema and we would be up to date with everything that was going on.

“We would also get silly sorts of things like how many pebbles are there on the beach or what we were doing that night."

A service in Mrs Legg's memory takes place at Woodvale Crematorium, Lewes Road, Brighton, on Wednesday, from 1pm.

Donations are invited to Cancer Research UK or the British Heart Foundation and can be directed to Philip Evans Funeral Services, Old Shoreham Road, Southwick.