Warm tributes have been paid to former singer and actress Carol Kaye, who has died aged 76.

Born Carol Lindsey in Oldham in 1930, she shot to fame in the late Fifties as one third of the popular female vocal harmony group The Kaye Sisters.

With their trademark blonde fringe-cut hairdos, the Kayes, although not actually sisters, enjoyed a string of top ten hits in the Sixties.

They included Paper Roses and Gotta Have Something In The Bank Frank, one of a number of collaborations with Frankie Vaughan.

Carol married Forties and Fifties entertainer Len Young and moved to a house in Goldstone Crescent, Hove, as her career was taking off in 1959.

The Kayes appeared at numerous royal command performances and were regularly seen on TV on shows such as Morecambe and Wise.

Carol toured with the group until the late Seventies, when she quit and turned her attentions to acting.

She read in the then Evening Argus about a new local amateur dramatic company, the Umbrella Theatre Group, and went on to perform with it at the Edinburgh Festival.

Her acting career quickly took off and she appeared for several weeks in Coronation Street, which led to her being offered a leading role in a new soap opera, Albion Market, in the early Eighties.

In the meantime she had become a familiar society figure in Brighton and Hove, attending many charity functions.

She was a prominent member of two faith communities - the Progressive Synagogue in Hove, having converted to her husband's Judaism, as well as the Methodist Church in Dorset Gardens.

The Kaye sisters reformed in 1988 for a new tour, culminating in an appearance at Brighton's Dome Theatre.

They were then approached by the Glenn Miller Band to guest on its tour, singing Andrews Sisters numbers.

Over the next nine years they appeared regularly with the Glenn and Herb Miller bands, making their last appearance in 1999.

Her son Joe, 46, an actor and composer, said: "She will be remembered as a very lively woman, full of energy.

"She could have powered the National Grid.

"She came from an extremely poor background and left school at 14 to pursue her dream to become a dancer.

"She achieved everything she set out to."

Len died nine years ago, after which Carol moved to Kemp Town.

Her closest friend was actress Dora Bryan, 82, who said: "She was a wonderful, wonderful girl.

"We would speak every day and I am heartbroken to have lost my dear friend.

"She had so much faith.

"We had a lot in common because we're both from Oldham.

"She will be so happy to be back with her beloved Len and I know I will meet her again one day."

Carol lived for the final year of her life at the Fourways nursing home in Peacehaven, where she died in the early hours of Sunday following a 20-month battle with cancer.

She will be laid to rest at the Jewish Cemetery, Old Shoreham Road, at a date to be confirmed.