A Tory councillor who made history after being elected by raffle following a dead heat with her Labour rival has died aged 72.

It was only one of the unusual incidents in the active life of Sylvia Antunovich, who also enjoyed travelling.

She polled 1,034 votes in May 1995 for the Nevill ward on Hove Council, the same as Labour candidate Christopher Davies.

The count was stopped in the early hours after recounts failed to find an outright winner.

The following morning the count was restarted and with still no outright winner, the two names were put in a ballot box, and Sylvia's was drawn.

But she resigned a year later for personal reasons.

The Hove Tory councillor was a hard working and popular representative for the Nevill ward for more than nine years after being elected in 1987.

She became chairwoman of the housing committee and was responsible for the gradual transfer of council housing to housing associations, prior to the merging of Brighton and Hove councils.

As vice chairman of the Personnel Committee she was involved in establishing new efficient systems for Hove Council.

She suffered from bowel cancer in 1999, speaking and writing openly about the disease, but was given the all-clear earlier this year. She died of liver cancer.

She lived in Brighton and Hove for more than 25 years.

Mrs Antunovich was an active member of the Sussex County Croquet Club based in Southwick, and became its membership secretary, helping to organise the World Croquet Championships last year. She also helped to establish the Brunswick Westward University of the Third Age during the past five years. She set up its gardening group.

She was born in Streatham, south London and educated in Worcester. She went to Reading University.

She worked as a travel adviser for several years, travelling extensively, including skiing trips.

She loved to garden and had an allotment in Hove. She also took a special interest in people with disabilities and was vice chairman of the Hove and Portslade victim support scheme.

She wrote features about her travels for national newspapers and contributed to The Argus. She was an expert on life in Turkey.

For a time she lectured in travel and geography at Northbrook College, Worthing.

She was a governor of West Blatchington Infants and Goldstone Junior Schools.

At her funeral on Monday at Woodvale Crematorium, Brighton, tributes were paid to her full and active life.

She leaves a son, Igor. He said: "She was a very determined and bright lady who lived life to the full."