TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Ayr Advertiser journalist after she passed away on November 6, aged just 54.

Pauline Taylor, born in Glasgow, eldest child to Jessie and the late Gerald on October 30, 1964, moved to Irvine in 1966.

She had three younger siblings; Sandra, Gerry and Brian and was also a proud aunt to nephew, Kyle and niece, Leigh.

The former St Michael’s Academy pupil remained Irvine-based, with a temporary move to Glasgow whilst attending University. She moved to Troon in 1999 and stayed until 2015, returning there last year after spending three years in Leith.

Pauline worked as a linguist at BT from 1985 til1991 and graduated with a Honours degree in English literature from Strathclyde University in 1994. Pauline gained a postgraduate diploma in journalism in 1996, before moving to the Ayr Advertiser from where she worked until 2000.

Pauline worked freelance for the Scotsman, Sunday Times, Daily Record/Sunday Mail and Evening Times. She was a media and communication lecturer at James Watt College/Ayrshire College between 2001 and 2015, before moving to Leith to be a freelance PR, arts and lifestyle writer for the Daily Business, a private tutor editor and proof-reader until 2018.

She has always had a love of the arts, film and theatre and was passionate about music, especially Rufus Wainwright, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Loudoun Wainwright and Dixie Chicks. She also loved travelling and exploring. Many of her former students have wrote inspiring things regarding the influence Pauline had on their lives and careers. Former student, Sandy Clarke, included Pauline in part of his dedication in his first published book.

Pauline was laid to rest on Tuesday at St Mary’s Church.