TRIBUTES have poured in for selfless volunteer and former maths teacher Joan Beal, described as an Andover “icon and legend”.

Tireless Miss Beal, who won the Heart of Gold prize at the Pride of Andover Awards in 2011, died earlier this month at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital aged 86.

The former Winton School and Portway Junior School teacher helped thousands of pupils over several decades and was known for her devotion both to her subject and pupils.

But teaching was not Miss Beal’s only passion and she was honoured with the Heart of Gold award for her 40 years of volunteering at Winchester Hospital and the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, as well as her work with children.

Scores of tributes have been sent into the Advertiser this week.

Mark Mumford was Miss Beal’s neighbour when he was at Winton from 1976 to 1981 and she continued to live next door to his parents until her death.

Describing her as an “icon and legend for so many Andoverians”, Mr Mumford said: “She took me to school each morning in her car.

Everyone was a little scared of her, but I saw a very different side.

“She spent every weekend and most of her retirement doing voluntary work in hospitals and helping people with their maths in evenings.

“She did countless things to help others, most that never got told. It’s sometimes only in hindsight that you realise just how great and dedicated some teachers were.”

Former pupil Alison Worboys (nee Lawley) said: “She taught me a lot and also arranged an interview for me at NatWest Bank in Andover, so I have her to thank for my career in banking which lasted almost 28 years. She will be greatly missed.”

Pat Green said: “Miss Beal was my maths teacher in the early 1960s. She was a very strict but fair teacher whom I had the greatest respect for.”

Sharon Sears said: “Miss Beal used to run an after-school extra maths class and without going to it I would never have passed my maths O-level.”

Maggie Kingman said: “Miss Beal, looking back, was a wonderful teacher. A bit scary, but as our form teacher for a year we saw a slightly softer side. She was always telling us off for watching the boys playing football instead of doing maths.”

Miss Beal, who it is believed did not marry or have children, was a governor at Portway Junior School for 20 years, where she also gave out prizes at sports day, ran literary sessions and organised a weekly maths club. A spokesman for the school said this week: “The pupils who attended the club loved it.

“Joan will be remembered at Portway not just by the staff and pupils, but also by their parents and grandparents who were fortunate to be taught by her. Her work for the school was tireless and she was a valued member of our community.”

When asked by Esther Rantzen in 2011 what she gets out of volunteering, Miss Beal said: “I enjoy it, I get job satisfaction – I always wanted to be a nurse but became a maths teacher instead.”