A SINGER has paid tribute to the teacher who inspired her to follow a career in music after she died following one of her concerts.

Singer Jane Maudsley had been performing at a school in front of proud teacher Joy Gatty before tragedy struck.

Joy, 60, a former primary school teacher from Blackburn Road in Wheelton, collapsed in the car park of Westholme School following the charity concert. An ambulance spokesman said she had suffered a heart attack.

Jane, 22, spoke of her grief at the loss of a friend who had done so much to encourage her talent when she was a pupil at Heathfield Preparatory School in Blackburn and taught by Mrs Gatty.

She said: "Joy was involved in my musical activities when I was a very young girl. She played the piano at Heathfield."

Jane, who later attended Westholme, added Mrs Gatty had been the first person to greet her from the stage following her performance, last Wednesday. She said: "It was a very emotional moment for us both and she was elated. We were both in tears."

Jane said Mrs Gatty was about to walk home alone after the concert at the school, in Meins Road, Blackburn, when she collapsed in the car park. An ambulance was called to the scene and paramedics administered first aid before taking her to Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Lillian Croston, headteacher at Westholme, said: "I have heard she had been ill for some time ."

She added: "Everybody there helped as much as possible, I couldn't really see what was going on because of the amount of people crowding around.

"I believe a sister from the hospital had been in the audience and she tried to help, as did another person who administered first aid at the scene before the ambulance arrived." Bobby Georghiou, the deputy head, described the incident as "very sad".

Jane recalled the very first school report card she had received, written by Mrs Gatty, who had spotted and encouraged Jane's strengths at a very early age.

Jane herself arranged the charity evening at the school and also completed the London Marathon, raising more than £5,000 for the Children's Society.

She once appeared alongside Phillip Schofield in a Blackpool production of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in Blackpool.

Jane said of Mrs Gatty: "There is no doubt that she inspired me greatly in my singing career. Since she first encouraged me to start performing at weddings I have never stopped -- wedding singing is now a big part of my life." Mrs Gatty's daughter was too upset to comment.