Friends of a security guard found dead in a Brighton bedsit celebrated her life at her local pub.

Friends and former workmates of Charmian Falkner gathered at her favourite pub to raise a glass in her memory.

During the evening they sold some of her paintings to raise money to fund an art scholarship at her old school in Devon.

Ms Falkner, a security guard at the Brighton Centre, was also a talented artist.

Brighton Centre colleague Alan Cavey said: "She should have been an artist because she was absolutely brilliant - anything she touched with her hands was brilliant."

Ms Falkner's body was found on December 27 in Dorset Gardens, Brighton.

She was buried at a small family funeral earlier this year, in Devon.

Lifelong friend Katrina Byrne, who organised the evening at the Kendal Arms, Payne Avenue, said she wanted friends from Brighton and Hove to be able to celebrate Ms Falkner's life.

She said: "I remember her as extremely, extremely fine and worthy young woman, extremely artistic, and full of life.

"She was out for a good time and brought a lot of pleasure to a lot of people's lives."

Other friends described her as sassy and a character. Paula Miller said: "She was a bundle of laughs."

James Flynn, 35, of no fixed address, has been charged with murder.