TRIBUTES have been paid to Warrington's joint longest-serving councillor 'who was always putting the interests of her community and the town first'.

Lymm South councillor Sheila Woodyatt sadly died on Saturday, aged 80.

The town's Conservative leader was elected to the council in May 1983 and served as mayor in 2000-2001.

Council chief executive Steven Broomhead has paid tribute to the popular figure.

He said: "She was a formidable pocket battleship, who was always putting the interests of her community and the town first.

"She will be greatly missed."

Former mayor Geoff Settle, who is chairman of Warrington Visually Impaired People (WVIP), said the experienced politician will be 'greatly missed'.

He added: "Sheila was one of a kind and served the WVIP for many years as a valued trustee.

"In typical Sheila fashion, she told us her stroke wasn't much and that she would be back soon on the executive committee that had been a treasured part of her life for many years.

"Sheila was always forthright and could be relied on to let you know what she thought of things.

"She always acknowledge my e-mails as a councillor and as mayor she always let me know of any 'naughty' councillors in the chamber.

"When I asked her about councillor surgeries – she said "I have mine at home and serve my constituents a cup of tea when they come to visit."

"On our visits to Lymm as mayor and mayoress for events and elsewhere for special mayoral occasions, she was always there with her rock Neville, who sadly passed away in May of last year.

"The death of Neville was as a massive shock to Sheila that she just couldn't come to terms with.

"He was also a great character who, a bit like Prince Philip, supported his wife behind the scenes, never taking the limelight.

"The pair were inseparable and gave myself and Jean a very warm welcome whenever and wherever we met up and we have found memories of them both."

Cllr Ian Marks (LD – Lymm North and Thelwall), who is a former council leader, said Sheila ‘did a huge amount to help people and her passing marks the end of an era’.

He added: "Sheila and I were both elected to the parish council in 1979 and to the borough council in 1983, so we have known each other a long time.

“We had our political differences but we were united in trying to do our best for the people we served.

“We worked together on the parish council for the people of Lymm and for the people of Warrington when she was on the executive board and I was council leader.

"She will be greatly missed."

Cllr Bob Barr (LD – Lymm North and Thelwall) said: “My friend Sheila Woodyatt was an inimitable force of nature.

“Her commitment to the community, her confidence in her own views – however controversial, her trademark phrases ‘the snails in my garden move faster than …’, ‘I’ll become pope before …’ all set her apart as a one-off.

“We had a tempestuous relationship, we disagreed often, sometimes loudly.

“She was a political rival.

“I first clashed with her when I was a parent governor at Cherry Tree School and she was chair.

“Despite our differences, we became friends and, as life became harder for her in the last years, I have been pleased to be able to support her in many little ways.

“She will be greatly missed by her friends and constituents – and she will not be forgotten.”

Along with Sheila, Cllr Mike Hannon (LAB – Orford) has also remained on the council since he was elected in May 1983.