A dad has paid an emotional tribute to the "perfect daughter" who died from cervical cancer.

Paula Twycross lost a long battle with the disease at the age of just 36 and despite being in excruciating pain as she neared death she "never complained".

Devoted to her family, Paula, whose funeral is today, lived opposite her parents David, 64 and Odette, 62, at Hopes Grove, High Halden and called into see them on most nights for a chat.

"To me Paula was the perfect daughter, she was very caring and worked hard all of her life, " David said.

The chief accountant at the London Beach Hotel, Tenterden, Paula had been a conscientious child. "She had a love of reading and always had her head in a book," said David.

After attending High Halden primary school and later Homewood, Paula started work at the London Beach Hotel, where she became owner Pierre Edmonds' right hand woman. A career girl, she worked her way up the ladder and managed to pay off the mortgage on her house, even insisting on giving every penny of the deposit money back to her dad who had given the cash to her.

David, who works in the hotel's maintenance department, said: "The girls at the hotel said if they had a problem Paula would be the one to listen. She was kind and caring and I'm so proud of her."

Paula was first diagnosed with cervical cancer at the beginning of 2016 and had a hysterectomy in April of that year, which her consultant believed had left her free of the disease.

But four months later the cancer returned and Paula's treatment at the William Harvey and Kent and Canterbury hospitals, which involved two rounds of chemotherapy and 33 doses of radiotherapy failed to halt it.

Her desperate family researched cures all over the world before discovering that the private Rivers Hospital in Hertfordshire offered pioneering immunotherapy treatment.

A JustGiving appeal raised £25,323, which enabled Paula to have four rounds of the treatment administered at home. Her consultant told David the drug was working but that in the end it had too much to do. Paula died on February 4.

David said the family, which includes Paula's brother James, 31, had been overwhelmed by the support they had received for the appeal, including from a fundraising dinner at the London Beach Hotel, where the £2,750 cost of the meal was refunded to the appeal via the Savannah Charitable Trust. A total of around £8,000 was raised on the evening, organised by Tevis Knight, Tenterden Town FC manager, with contributions from a raffle and donations.

A fundraising football match was also held at Homewood School and a race night was put on at the Flying Horse in Smarden, supported by Smarden football club, while a pamper day was held at the White Lion, Tenterden, all in aid of Paula.

"We are in awe of people in the area and what they did for Paula." said David.

"Paula was so brave and never complained even when she was in excruciating pain she coped by giving herself small doses of morphine when she needed it.

"She wanted to live despite all the pain."

Paula's funeral was held at High Halden church this morning, followed by a wake at London Beach Hotel. Family flowers only and donations are welcome for Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex or the Big Cat Sanctuary as Paula was a fan of cats. All inquires should be made to funeral directors T W Fuggles of Tenterden on 01580 763340.