A lifelong stalwart of the Brighton and Hove tennis scene has died.

Brenda Jewell was a familiar face at courts in the city's parks for more than 50 years, winning dozens of competitions and becoming a leading figure in the sport in the south east.

Three years ago she was presented with a special award by the Lawn Tennis Association for her lifetime's work involved with the organisation.

The national trophy is only presented to one person each year and winning it was one of Mrs Jewell's proudest achievements.

During her career she held a variety of posts in the Sussex Tennis Council, eventually becoming referee for the county's league and acting as an adjudicator in any disputes.

She died suddenly at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, on January 2, after a long illness. She was 75.

Her husband Ron Jewell said he was still coming to terms with her death and his wife would be sorely missed.

Mr Jewell said: "Everybody loved her. She was so popular. Nobody had a bad word to say about her, she was such a wonderful person."

He said he had received almost 50 cards of condolence since his wife's death.

The couple lived together in Queen's Park Road, Brighton, in the house where she had grown up with her family. Mrs Jewell had no children.

She was a talented player throughout her life and continued playing until the age of 68, when her illness developed.

Mr Jewell said she always resisted the chance to join any of the area's private tennis clubs, insisting on representing the city's parks instead.

She was president of the Brighton and Hove Parks Association which she helped to run for more than 50 years.

She worked as a cashier for Lloyds Bank before her retirement and at one stage was offered the job of bank manager.

Had she taken it she would have become one of the first females in the country to reach the position but she turned it down to concentrate on her tennis commitments.

Mrs Jewell was an active supporter of many other causes, including the lifeboats and horse sanctuaries, and was an animal lover with a passion for highland terriers.

She was a lifelong Brighton and Hove Albion fan with a penchant for Manchester United.

In an interview with The Argus in 2005 Mrs Jewell said her favourite tennis moment was watching Andre Agassi enjoying his tennis as he beat Goran Ivanisevic in the Wimbledon final in 1992.

She described Devonshire Park in Eastbourne as her favourite venue, ahead of Wimbledon, and said many of the public courts in Sussex were her least favourite.

When asked how she would like to be remembered Mrs Jewell said: "Someone who gave something back to a sport she took something out of."

Leave your tributes to Mrs Jewell below.