TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Rhyl High School Head of PE and North Wales hockey team player who has died.

Mrs Mabel Doreen Thomas was born in Penrhynside in 1935 and lived in Prestatyn.

She married her husband Leighton in 1956 and they had three children: Shan, Geraint and Lloyd and five grandchildren: Harriet, Chelsea, Morgan, Lowri and Harley.

Harley described her as: “Invincible.”

Her son Lloyd said: "She developed her love of hockey at Ysgol Bodafon and Ysgol John Bright and trained at Bangor Normal College.

"In 1957 she was called up to play hockey for Wales but she was expecting her first born Shan. She played hockey for North Wales and for Courtaulds Sports club, with her baby in tow, but safely deposited in a carry cot behind the goal.

"For more than 20 years she taught at Rhyl high school becoming head of PE. She was known affectionately as Mrs T. many of her pupils went on to play at county level.

"In 1979 she became Manager of the Welsh Hockey Team taking in two tours of Canada and Jamaica for the Hockey Federation World Cup.

"In 1982 she joined the Barbershop chorus in Llandudno, she went on to conduct the chorus. She joined Mold chorus and in 2016 she received a certificate and medal for 30 years “singing in harmony” from the ladies association of barbershop singing."