‘Such a special person’

PALS’ TEARS FOR DIANNE

LOVED: With Steve Wright and Macca

BBC weather girl Dianne Oxberry has died from cancer aged 51, causing colleagues to break down live on air.

The married mum-of-two found fame as a sidekick for Steve Wright and Simon Mayo in the 1990s.

She retrained as a meteorologist and joined BBC North West in 1994, becoming a TV forecast favourite for 24 years.

The journalist, who was working until mid-December, passed away at the Christie Hospital in Manchester.

Fellow weather presenter Simon King choked back tears on BBC Radio 5 Live. He said: “It’s devastating, absolutely devastating.

“It has been such a quick process. It has hit us like a ton of bricks.”

She was famously adored by comedian Peter Kay, who once crawled on his hands and knees to get close to her as she delivered a forecast on TV.

Simon Mayo tweeted: “Devastated to hear this news. She was a wonderful, joyous part of our breakfast team at Radio 1.”

BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker wrote: “What an amazing woman Dianne was and such a professional broadcaster.

“Devastating news for her family. What a special person she was.”

Her heartbroken husband, cameraman Ian Hindle, said: “The children and I will miss her more than anyone can imagine.”