A FORMER Neighbours actress who used to live in Rhyl and attended school in Abergele has been remembered as “a corker of a character” following her death at the age of 86.

Joan Sydney died in a care facility in Victoria, Australia, on December 29 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Joan, who was the older sister of actress Maggie King, became a household name after starring in A Country Practice as no-nonsense character Matron Margaret Sloane. She went on to star in more than 400 episodes of the hit drama about the residents of the small country town of Wandin Valley in New South Wales.

She would later go on to appear in Neighbours playing fan-favourite character Valda Sheergold before becoming a permanent cast member in 2007.

According to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald, Joan Sydney (King) was born in Kensington London on September 5, 1936, the first daughter of Sam and Rose King, a young couple who met working in hotels. The family moved to country Wales at the outbreak of World War Two, where her younger sister Maggie was born three years later.

They lived first in Rhyl, where her parents managed the Kimmel Bay Club, then later in nearby Rhuddlan, where they were publicans at the Castle Hotel, becoming known affectionately by locals as “the Kings of the Castle”.

Joan attended Abergele Grammar school, where she attained her General Certificate in Education (GCE) in eight subjects in 1953. It was at Abergele Grammar that she also became interested in theatre, performing in school plays from around the age of nine. Later in her teenage years she would travel regularly to Aberystwyth to train with and play in the theatre club that is now part of the university campus.

Tony Braxton-Smith, Joan's eldest son, told the PA news agency: “I think she will be fondly remembered as a great entertainer with a wicked wit and a warm heart."

The British-Australian actress’ other TV credits include playing Ruth Dooley in Something In the Air, appearing as Merle MacDonald in Mother And Son and starring in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries where she played Mother Aloysius.

Long-time friend and Miss Fisher co-star Sally-Anne Upton said Joan had “a beautiful soul”.

Speaking about the actress and her sister, she said: “They were very English, they were very distinguished, they were very naughty.

“She had a beautiful soul, Joan, they both did, and a sense of benevolence. They understood to look after the underdogs.

“They also had a great sense of pride about their heritage and were incredibly family orientated.

“(Sydney) was an absolute corker of a character.”

Joan grew up in Wales and trained as a classic actor at Oldham Repertory Theatre in Greater Manchester.

She emigrated to Australia in 1965 and played in theatre, musicals and theatre restaurants in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne before her television career.

Another of her defining roles was playing Mary Patchett in Australian soap opera E Street, where she became known for her bright nature, comedic timing and cheerful singing voice.

Neighbours paid tribute to the actress of Twitter. "Vale Joan Sydney, who became part of the Neighbours family when she played the wonderful Valda Sheergold between 2002 and 2008. Our thoughts are with her friends and family.

Joan is survived by her daughter and two sons and will be laid to rest near her sister at a private ceremony.