Deputy Mayoress and former Mayor of Douglas Dot Pitts has died.

Mrs Pitts became mayor of Douglas in 2008, but was too ill to defend her seat during the council elections of that year and lost her seat.

She had been receiving chemotherapy after being diagnosed with bowel cancer, and used her year as mayor to raise awareness of the disease.

Councillors unanimously asked her to be mayor of the Island’s capital, and during her year in office she underwent surgery and intensive chemotherapy.

She and her husband Stephen Pitts represented St Georges ward in the town and were elected deputy mayor and mayoress by councillors in May.