The mother of two went from working in shops in the Parade to becoming Miss Great Britain and marrying one of the country's most famous comedians.

At the height of her fame she appeared on the balcony of Leamington town hall with boxing champion Randolph Turpin, but as well as looks, wit and an impressive singing voice, she was also a devoted mother.

Mrs Chimes' daughter Julie Chimes-Law recalls growing up with photographers on the lawn, and how a combination of beauty and fame caused some male motorists to forget themselves. She said: "It was a very strange life. I used to find it very odd that cars would actually crash because the drivers were looking at my mother."

The future Miss Great Britain was born Jennifer Schumacher in Leamington in 1933. During the war her mother fell ill and her brother Manfred Schumacher has fond memories of an older sister who looked after him at a girls' orphanage.

He felt his sister had a combination of beauty, kindness and "a bit of magic".

Mr Schumacher said: "She was very beautiful but it was more than that, she had a wonderful personality, she was very witty and had a wonderful singing voice. She had this amazing presence. Wherever she went she would be treated like royalty."

Unlike many career-minded celebrities, Mrs Chimes was already married and a mother of two before she became famous. She entered a Miss Coventry contest in 1955 and won a holiday to Morecambe, where she was crowned Miss Great Britain despite protesting "No, no it isn't fair; the other girls are better than me".

Returning home, she received a welcome from the mayor of Leamington at the town hall and later took part in a joint parade of honour with Leamington-born boxing legend Randolph Turpin.

Mrs Chimes married the comedian Max Wall in 1956. For some years the family lived in the public eye, but her daughter recalls how her mother guarded her privacy and dignity. One of her children, Martin, had profound autism, but in an era when disabilities were seen as shameful Mrs Chimes chose to care for her son instead of sending him away.

Her daughter said: "She was an extraordinary mother. In the 1950s children who were born with difficulties were hidden away but my mother wouldn't have that. She found a way of teaching him by singing to him. She got through to him and taught him amazing things."

Singing remained one of her loves. One Parisian cafe-owner asked her to extend a visit to the city as her voice brought in customers and she stunned drinkers once in a London pub with an unexpected rendition of Danny Boy.

Manfred Schumacher said: "She shut the entire pub up. She had this presence and ability to command an audience."

After separating from Wall in 1961 she returned to Leamington and married David Coombes, a lawyer. The couple lived in Ashow and later Barford and Mrs Chimes remained married to Mr Coombes for the rest of her life.