TRIBUTES have been paid to Southampton-born athlete Donna Hartley-Wass who has died suddenly at the age of 58.

Once hailed the golden girl of British athletics, Donna, who ran under her maiden name Donna Murray, passed away unexpectedly as she sunbathed in her back garden.

Her husband of 26 years, actor and comedian Bobby Knutt, made the tragic discovery on Friday at their home in Yorkshire.

He told the Daily Echo: “We were married 26 years and we had never had a row or cross word. She was the great love of my life. Nobody will ever take her place.

“She was the kindest person in the world. Everybody loved her and nobody had a bad word to say about her.

“She was an absolute princess.”

During her glittering athletic career Donna won double gold at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada, in the individual 400m and 4x400m relay.

She also won a bronze at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow for the 4x400m relay.

She was made an MBE by the Queen in 1979.

Later she became a body builder and was crowned the sport's Miss Great Britain.

Donna married fellow athlete Bill Hartley but they divorced in the early 1980s.

In 1984 she met Bobby Knutt, who real surname is Wass, at Butlins, and they wed three years later.

Throughout her athletics career she was coached by Southampton-based Mike Smith, who went on to guide the careers of stars such as Roger Black and Iwan Thomas.

A post mortem to establish what caused Donna's death is expected to take place early next week.