TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular teacher at King Edward VI College in Stourbridge who collapsed at work.

Jane Reason, subject leader for business studies, suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed in a staff area at the Lower High Street college last Thursday (April 28) just before 1pm.

First aid trained staff members carried out CPR until paramedics arrived - and the 57-year-old teacher was rushed to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital with a police escort but she never regained consciousness and was later pronounced dead.

College bosses cancelled all classes on Friday (April 29) as a mark of respect and organised a candle-lit service of remembrance for the tragic teacher, who had worked at the college since 2001.

Principal Remley Mann said staff and students had been left "saddened and shocked" at her sudden death and she added: "Jane was a popular, respected, and hard-working teacher. College and medical staff worked tirelessly to save her – we know she received the best possible care.

"As a college community our thoughts are with Jane’s family and her friends, many of whom were her college colleagues who loved and respected her so very much.”

She said the college has been inundated with messages of condolence from colleagues and students, past and present, wishing to pay tribute to the much-loved teacher who was married with two sons and who taught at Halesowen College before joining King Edward's.

Mrs Mann added: "All of them expressed how kind, considerate and supportive Jane had been on multiple occasions. One person described her as ‘the kindest person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting’. "In addition, her love of her family shines through in all of the messages."

She praised the teacher's "professionalism, commitment to her students and dry sense of humour" and said a book of condolences has been placed in the college reception for people to sign - which will eventually be passed to her family.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be finalised and a decision on how the college intends to honour Jane’s life and her commitment to her students will be made in due course.

Mrs Mann said the emergency services praised the efforts of the college's first aiders who tried to save the teacher's life and she stressed no students had directly witnessed the incident but she said counsellors would be available during the coming weeks to offer support to grieving colleagues and students.