SHOCKED teachers and pupils at New Milton’s Ballard School have paid tribute to “ray of sunshine” Caroline Gray, their registrar and personal assistant, who died suddenly aged 46.

Mother-of-two Caroline, known as Caz, was taken ill at the school last Friday after suffering a brain haemorrhage and died the following afternoon in Southampton General Hospital.

She leaves a husband Stuart and two children, 19-year-old son Alex and Sophie, 14.

Caz was the PA to head teacher Alastair Reid, who paid an emotional tribute to her and also led a special assembly at the school.

He said: “I counted on her as a friend, professional confidante and as a support. She was truly a ray of sunshine – her last words on an email to all staff on the day she collapsed were ‘enjoy the sunshine.’ “Ballard was her spiritual home and she was very much a sunshine lady.”

Her funeral will be held at 4pm on Friday, March 21 at Christchurch Priory.

Friends, colleagues and family have shared their memories of Caz on the internet page caz.gray.muchloved.com.

One states: “Caroline was great. We are grateful for all that she did for our school and her presence will be missed by all of us.

“She was always smiley and bubbly and she welcomed us to the Ballard family. We all miss her and our hearts are with her friends and family at this very sad time.”

And another one says: “Our dear Caz. One of life’s truly beautiful people; inside and out. Caz will be sorely missed: her smile, her energy, her love, her enthusiasm, her incredible humour ... the list goes on.”