FORMER Mayor of Fareham Dorothy Ekins OBE has died at the age of 79.

A well-known character in the borough, Mrs Ekins gave nearly three decades of her life to public service becoming Mayor of the town she loved in 1978 and again in 1988.

Her crowning glory was an OBE award for her services to local government in June 1994 having represented Fareham North as a conservative for more than 25 years and becoming chairman of both the housing and planning committees.

At the time she was said to have been overwhelmed by the award but her only regret was that her husband Pat, who died two years previously, wasn't there to share it with her.

Mrs Ekins was not one to shy away from controversy when in 1999 she defected to the Liberal Democrat party after serving as a conservative representative since 1968, much to the amazement of colleagues.

Mrs Ekins, of Catisfield, Fareham, is also well remembered for her fund-raising efforts through her darts team, raising more than £140,000 in one year for her much-loved Heathfield Special School.

Leader of Fareham Council Sean Woodward led the tributes to Mrs Ekins.

He said: "She was a very hard-working councillor who gave a lot to Fareham and that she was made a freemason of the borough and rewarded with an OBE shows that. She made a significant contribution to Fareham Borough Council and will be well remembered for that."

Mrs Ekins, who died yesterday, leaves behind a son, daughter and several grandchildren. The funeral details are yet to be arranged.