TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved and talented amateur actress, who has died aged 87.

Nancy Pickles’ love for the arts began when she was just five-years-old when she would put on plays for her parents and siblings in her back yard in Darlington.

She then went on to become an active member of the town’s amateur dramatics society, the Kay Players, before launching her own group, the Thespians.

During her 20-year acting career, Mrs Pickles, who used the stage name, Nancy Race, performed alongside the likes of Stephen Hancock, best known for his role as Ernie Bishop in Coronation Street, as well as veteran actors Charles Simon, John Reed and Mollie Sugden.

She later worked as a civil servant at a number of organisations around the region, including Darlington County Court, where she met her husband of 53 years, Jim.

“The first day I was there Nancy was the typist and I was immediately struck by her,” he said.

“She was always so glamorous, and was never seen without her red lipstick.

“She was the spitting image of the actress Margaret Lockwood.

“When she went with her family once to Blackpool, she was sitting on a chair in Madame Tussauds when two women said: “Oh look, there’s a model of Margaret Lockwood.”

“They got the fright of their lives when she got up and walked away.”

Mr Pickles said that although they had no children of their own, youngsters were often drawn to his wife’s warm, caring and creative personality.

“She loved children, and made friends wherever she went. We have friends we met on holiday many years ago and they still want to come and visit us,” he said.

“She was always the mother figure. Wherever she worked, they always went to her if they had any problems.”

Mrs Pickles was born Annie Isabelle Smirk, but later changed her name to Nancy.

She died on Friday (January 16) following a recent illness.