A school today paid tribute to a "very special" teacher whose sudden death shocked pupils and staff

English teacher Lynne Oldacre, 43, taught at Thomas, Lord Audley School and Language College in Colchester.

She suffered a brain haemorrhage over the weekend and died on Monday at Colchester General Hospital.

The mother-of-three worked in insurance before becoming a child minder while bringing up her children.

Six years ago she started an Open University course in English and for the first four years worked as a learning support assistant at TLA.

For the last two years she had taught English and, continuing with her studies, was looking forward to gaining qualified teacher status.

The loss of Mrs Oldacre has left staff and pupils at the school in a deep state of shock and sadness.

Headteacher Steven Davidson, who visited Mrs Oldacre's husband Stephen yesterday, described her as a "very special person" who had an "indomitable sense of humour".

Mr Davidson said: "In all roles she brought a unique blend of care, enthusiasm, learning and love of her work. She was patient to the highest degree and always managed to help students achieve beyond what they thought they could do.

"She was a very special person in her own right and made students feel special. She shared tales of her own family and made them part of her life in school as much as she shared tales of school at home.

Mr Davidson added: "To the staff who worked with her she was a source of strength both through her hard work and her indomitable sense of humour.

"She could always be relied upon to help in a crisis and was never without a reassuring smile even when things were at their worst.

"Always competent, capable and caring it was obvious that she should make an outstanding teacher.

"Lynne had a happy, bubbly personality. She sought and found the best in everyone and made us all feel good about ourselves.

"The children in the school loved her for her unceasing faith in their ability, her voice and the way in which she used her sense of humour. They always knew she would never give up on them."

Mrs Oldacre leaves her husband and three children Sam, 15, Alex, 13, and Fran, nine.

Published Thursday November 29, 2001