AN inspirational dance teacher who helped hundreds of youngsters fulfil their dreams has passed away at the age of 82.

June Bell, from Cardenden, better known to her pupils as Miss Suttie, taught ballet, tap and modern dance for more than 50 years mostly in the Inverclyde area.

She was a perfectionist who demanded the very best and this was reflected in her students’ success.

Son Stefan, 60, said: “She was dancing until she was forced to give up only five years ago.

“She was a stickler for perfection. She had a saying: ‘That’s good, well done but there’s always room for improvement’.

“Ballet was her favourite, she liked the discipline of it and this was reflected in her exceptionally good marks. She put a lot of effort into it.”

June’s contribution to dance was recognised by the Royal School of Ballet, who made her an honorary member.

She hailed from Cardenden and was a highly talented dancer herself, but a knee injury prevented her from pursuing a professional career.

She married her husband John Bell, who became the head planner with the then-Greenock development corporation.