FORMER Page 3 Girl Angela Jay died yesterday after a short battle with lung cancer.
She was a mainstay on the inside pages of The Sun in the early 1980s.
Angela was also the face of lingerie brand Gossard and worked with boxer Henry Cooper for his Brut Aftershave ads.
The 71-year-old died in hospital in Eastbourne, East Sussex, with husband Ken by her side.
He described her as the “perfect girl next door” and a “miner’s daughter from the northern pits who dared to dream”.
Ex-Sun snapper Ken, 79, said Sunderland-born Angela was spotted by a modelling agency after moving to Manchester.
He said: “She realised that she couldn’t stay there and become the wife of a miner.
“She moved to Manchester and was spotted by a modelling agency.
“Straight away she was such a natural. So fresh-faced.
“A lot of the models spend two hours getting ready – Angela was just ready to go.
“The first time I saw her she had a pair of jeans and a scruffy t-shirt on and looked just as beautiful as anyone.
“That’s when I knew she was the one for me.”