A teacher who transformed the lives of hundreds of children has died from cancer aged 67.

Angela Hewett, formerly Francis (nee Pawley), was born in Sculthorpe, near Fakenham, on September 1, 1954.

Her entire career was spent working in education after completing teaching training at Dudley in the West Midlands.

Her first teaching job was at Cromer High School, now Cromer Academy, in north Norfolk, where she taught typing from the early 1970s. During her time there she worked in a variety of roles including teaching business studies and taking on head of year responsibilities and pastoral care.

Her husband Graham Hewett, 68, said she “really enjoyed her time there".

During the early 2000s, she took early retirement to work as head co-ordinator at Red Balloon Norwich.

“It was a struggling school at the time and she felt inspired to be part of it and help,” Mr Hewett said.

“She believed in what she was doing and was passionate about how education should be. She turned the centre into the most successful in the group.

“She was very proud of it and she was immensely proud of the kids there too.”

Red Balloon Norwich is a secondary education centre for children out of school due to trauma or bullying. Under Mrs Hewett’s leadership, it achieved an outstanding Ofsted rating in 2015.

Trustees and staff at Red Balloon paid tribute. A spokesperson said: “Angela was an amazing leader for many years, successfully enabling the recovery, education and advancement of many young people in Norfolk.

“She will fondly stay in the hearts and minds of those whose lives she helped to change and her legacy will be far-reaching.”

Mr and Mrs Hewett, who had been friends since 1986, rekindled their friendship following Mrs Hewett’s divorce during the early 2000s. The couple, of Roughton, near Cromer, married on March 21, 2015.

Mr Hewett added: “She was my wife, my lover and my best mate.”

Mrs Hewett became ill earlier this year and was diagnosed with cancer in August. She died on October 10 and leaves behind her husband, their families and a sister.

Her funeral will take place at St Mary’s Church, Roughton, at 1pm on Tuesday, November 9. Attendees are asked to wear bright colours. No flowers.