A former city councillor and Lord Mayor of Oxford has died aged 71, a week after receiving national recognition from her party.

Carole Roberts, a former Labour councillor of more than 20 years, passed away on Sunday in the Churchill Hospital in Headington.

She had represented Northfield Brook, Rose Hill and Iffley and Temple Cowley and the Labour Party's national executive committee had on Monday given her a merit award.

The award is reserved for members "who have a distinguished history of service to their local communities".

The great-grandmother served as Lord Mayor in 1998/99, having previously held the titles of Deputy Lord Mayor and Sheriff.

She also managed the Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre, which she joined in 1989 as the first advice worker, until stopping recently due to illness.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price led tributes to Mrs Roberts, who he said was "one of the city’s leading councillors for many years in the 1980s and 1990s".

Mr Price said: "She always spoke her mind without fear or favour, and was a clear-sighted and confident leader in the development of council policies.

"Her personal warmth, good humour and kindness never left her, despite her long and debilitating illness in recent years.

"She will be badly missed by her many friends and extensive family."