Beautiful tributes have been paid to a "reassuring, kind and funny" volunteer who dedicated decades of her life to supporting witnesses of crime. Denise Brette sadly died on

February 12 earlier this year after falling ill. The 70-year-old grandmother had volunteered for the Witness Service on Teesside for more than 22 years, supporting those attending court to

give evidence. In a touching eulogy reading at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday, May 22, judges paid tribute to the "formidable" lady who had "the friendliest face you ever

saw". Judge Richard Bennett said: "Denise was reassuring, kind and funny. She was energetic and she knew precisely what to say to anxious witnesses to make them feel better and to

building. She was, of course, small in stature... but she radiated light. She was generous, generous with her time and generous with her advice." Denise - who is mum to Kelly and Alan

and grandmother to Mollie, Noah and Neive - was described as a "feeder", always bringing in baked treats for judges, lawyers and staff at the court. But her kindness and generosity

is best highlighted in her efforts to support witnesses of crime. "The most vulnerable witnesses who, when struggling day to day, had no money for lunch or a drink," said Judge

Bennett. "To put them at ease and to make sure they were in the best frame of mind for a stressful court appearance she would share what she had with them. "She would make

sandwiches or toast for them at her own expense. There was no requirement for her to do this. To her, this was all part of the service she felt necessary to make sure that anybody who came

to witness care had the very best experience." In 1982, Denise, who is "Stockton born and bred", married her late husband Alan. It was love at first sight - with Denise first

locking eyes with Alan, the brother of her best friend Margaret, after she knocked on their front door. Daughter Kelly, 41, said: "He answered the door and he didn't have his top

on and was all muscles. Mam always said she knew right then she would marry him." "She was the best mam you could have. She would do anything for her kids and her grandchildren.

She would give you her last and go without if you needed something. "It's surprising just how many people have reached out after she's died because they knew us both but

hadn't realised I was her daughter. They knew her from Middlesbrough or they met her on the bus." 'SHE WAS DEFINED BY CHEERFULNESS' Last year, Denise was awarded the

National Citizen's Advice Unsung Hero award. Judge Bennett said: "It's a testament to Denise and her modesty that she felt almost embarrassed to be nominated for that award

let alone to have won it. She didn't like to be the centre of attention because to her she was just doing her job. "To the rest of us, it was recognition of her remarkable work and

two decades of kindness and her dedication to making other people more comfortable. She really was a Teesside hero." Adding: "I have no doubt that, although she is no longer

physically present with us, that her spirit will remain as part of the fabric of this building for very many years." Recorder Peter Makepeace, who also spoke at the packed eulogy

reading, said: "I remember her barely controlled pride and joy last year when she told me for the first time that she had been awarded the unsung hero of the year award. She was

genuinely overwhelmed by that recognition. "It was a measure of Denise's innate modesty that she genuinely couldn't believe she had received an award that the rest of us

thought she deserved in spades every year." In a message, which was read out, Judge Howard Crowson, said: "Behind Denise's slender stature was a formidable woman who believed

passionately in the excellent work that is done at Teesside. She was substantially responsible for its deserved reputation as a beacon of excellence." Denise had fallen ill with what

she thought was a stomach bug in December last year. But when she didn't recover, doctors diagnosed her with diverticulitis and discovered an abscess and infection in her stomach. The

beloved mum wasn't strong enough for surgery, said daughter Kelly, and was treated with antibiotics but sadly her condition deteriorated and she passed away in February. Courtroom one

at Teesside Crown Court was packed on Thursday, with judges, lawyers and court staff now spread across the country also logging in remotely to pay their respects to Denise. Recorder

Makepeace added: "It is a quite remarkable fact that Denise was in so many ways the embodiment of witness support and care in this court. She came in day after day after day for no

financial reward." "I can't think of her without seeing that cheerful English smile that she carried all the time. I think of her scurrying about with extraordinary energy,

smiling from cheek to cheek - just the friendliest face you ever saw." "She was defined by cheerfulness and characterised by fun." FOR BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR AREA DIRECT TO

YOUR INBOX EVERY DAY, GO HERE TO SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER JOIN TEESSIDE LIVE'S WHATSAPP COMMUNITY FOR TOP STORIES AND BREAKING NEWS SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR PHONE Teesside Live is

now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community. Through the app, we'll send you the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone. To join

our community group, you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is CLICK THIS LINK AND SELECT 'JOIN COMMUNITY'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one

can send messages except the Teesside Live team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you

can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'Exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITY.