The widow of actor Hugh Lloyd has died less than six months after her husband’s funeral.

Former Fleet Street newspaper reporter Shan Lloyd, of Grand Avenue, Worthing, was just 55.

She was taken to Worthing Hospital on Saturday but doctors were unable to save her.

The cause of her death is not yet known.

Mr Lloyd, who was best known for appearances on Hancock’s Half Hour, Quadrophenia and Doc Marten, died in July, aged 85.

The couple first met in 1978 and moved to Worthing in 2003.

In his autobiography, Mr Lloyd described his future wife as “a scatty, blondehaired Fleet Street tabloid journalist”.

At the time she was working as the first female crime reporter on the Sunday People, where she operated undercover, covering “some of the most extraordinary stories”.

Today, neighbour Joan Bradley paid tribute to Mrs Lloyd.

Mrs Bradley, a Worthing borough councillor, said: “She wasn’t well when Hugh died and we did fear for her health. She was taken out by ambulance on Saturday and died almost as soon as she reached the hospital.

“It’s very sad. We don’t know the cause.

“Her family is coming down from London.

“She was much loved. Everyone is going to miss her.”

Shan, who was also a freelance showbiz reporter for the Brighton and Hove Leader, first met Mr Lloyd at Joe Allen’s, the famous theatre restaurant in the West End, while he was appearing in No Sex Please, We’re British! He was dining there with a friend who suddenly started waving at Shan as she entered the restaurant.

Mr Lloyd recalled: “We discovered we lived around the corner from each other and used the same pub.

“We got to know each other and liked each other’s company.”

At the time Hugh was in his fifties and had been married and divorced three times.

After moving to Worthing, Shan became a prominent member of the Red Hat Society, a nationwide group of middle-aged women who raise funds for charity.

A spokesman for Trinity Mirror, which publishes The People, said: “Shan was a great journalist and always the life and soul of the party.

“She approached everything with her trademark energy and enthusiasm and will be greatly missed.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends.”

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