AN artist and teacher from Belgium who fell in love with Bolton has died, aged 87.

Francoise Taylor moved to the town with her English husband Kenneth in 1949.

She met her husband, now aged 88, in Antwerp, during the Second World War when he served with the Belgian army.

Mrs Taylor was head of art at Mount St Joseph's High School, from 1972 to 1983.

She became known for her scratchy line and colour drawings of the town's street life and had work exhibited in Paris, Brussels, London and Manchester.

She died at her home in Stapleton Avenue, Bolton, on Wednesday, January 24, after her health had deteriorated.

Her son, Anthony, aged 56, paid tribute to his "non-conformist" mother. He said: "She was a creative and caring person. She favoured the underdog and was a great believer in humanity. She was a non-conformist but very determined - despite speaking very little English when she arrived in Bolton she achieved her goals."

The busy mother-of-five painted in watercolours from the at her home while her children were at school.

She was born Francoise Wauters, in Liege, and attended the Royal Academy of Brussels and modern art school. She gained a masters degree in book illustration.

Many of Mrs Taylor's works remain on display in a permanent collection in the Cabinet des Estampes, in Brussels, and several hang in the Cabinet des Estampes, in Paris.