A woman who fought to keep her home after a council tried to evict her for feeding pigeons has died.

Animal lover Margaret Waite, 59, died of a heart attack on Monday.

She was waiting for a court case to determine whether or not she would have to leave her home of more than 30 years in Whitehawk for allegedly breaching an order not to feed pigeons.

Her niece Kerrie Simmonds, 33, said: "She was an amazing lady. She was eccentric and kind and fun to be around.

"She loved animals and music and was a huge Manchester United fan."

Mrs Waite, known as Maggie, suffered emphysema and three years ago doctors gave her less than five years to live.

Her family is angry neighbours in Swanborough Court and Brighton and Hove City Council sought a court order to prevent her feeding pigeons, something she enjoyed despite her illness.

Ms Simmonds said: "She was a dying lady and took comfort and solace in animals. She wasn't hurting anybody and should have been left to do what made her last days happy."

She said the family, including Mrs Waite's son Terry, and her brother Al Berwick and sister Rose Temple were angry with the council for causing unnecessary stress by pursuing the court order and subsequent eviction notice.

Ms Simmonds said: "It was not directly to blame but it was definitely a contributing factor."

Mrs Waite was rushed to the Royal Sussex County Hospital on Friday. Her son Terry Waite said: "I will miss my mother's individuality. She stuck up for her own beliefs. She was kind and caring towards the people that deserved it.

"She was an animal lover to the end and she probably fed a couple of pigeons to the end. She always thought about her animals rather than herself."

A funeral service will be held at St Joseph's Church in Elm Grove, Brighton, on a date yet to be fixed. A city council spokesman said: "It's very sad. But the council had a duty to act to protect other residents whose lives were being made a misery by flocks of birds perching on their balconies because of the feeding. Neighbours were being put under stress."