Sally Johnson, the Downs Syndrome woman whose bravery and awesome talent amazed and inspired, has died.

REMARKABLE TALENT: Sally Johnson with one of her paintings of the North Yorkshire countryside which brought inspiration to so many

For ten years, Sally brought to life the beauty of the North Yorkshire countryside in hundreds of paintings.

Former Prime Minister, John Major, hung two of them in his room at 10 Downing Street and wrote to Sally praising the feelings of peace and tranquillity they gave him.

Her triumph over adversity inspired other Downs Syndrome children.

Sally, who was 25, started to paint ten years ago, when her parents, Ken and Sheila, bought her a box of watercolour paints for Christmas.

On Boxing Day she painted the first of her pictures, later sold it and donated the money to the Downs' Syndrome Association.

Her original paintings and prints soon began to help raise funds for charities. Her scenes were used on Christmas cards, a calendar and notelets. Her work, at a price anyone can afford, is still on sale at a tea-shop in Malton Market Place. Every penny raised goes to children's charities.

When Sally was born, her parents were advised to put her in a home. Five years ago her mother, a former teacher, said in an interview: "Our elderly doctor, who died some time ago, urged us not to keep her; that we could never love her like a normal child - even that she would be regarded as the village idiot. I'm sure he meant well, but his remarks made us more determined to keep Sally. Now, if he was alive, I'm sure he would be proud of her and of how her paintings have helped and inspired so many people."

Sally's father Ken, who died nearly seven years ago, was a leading Yorkshire landscape artist, living and working from the family cottage in Thornton-le-Dale.

Today, Sally's mother said: "She brought us such joy. She was so brave, always thinking of others and wanting to help them. When she was well enough she visited elderly people suffering from Alzheimers to help stimulate their interest in art."

Sally loved to be taken on to the Moors to find subjects to sketch, and couldn't wait to get home to start painting, added Sheila. "At one time she was painting five pictures a week and completed 150 one year."

The proceeds of both originals and prints went to the Downs Syndrome Association, Barnardos and Save The Children.

The DSA used 12 of Sally's pictures for their calendar for 1996 and for notelets which continue to sell well. Mencap used one for its Christmas card, winning Sally a national award. She was the first person to win a Gateway Gold Award.

Last month she painted her last picture, a cheeky robin searching for food, and sent it to the DSA. Last week she was told they were using it on their Christmas card for 2000.

DSA spokesman Philip Eckstein says the picture will appear on a first print order of 20,000 cards this year. He said of Sally: "Her talent is so remarkable, her paintings pure joy. She will always be a great source of inspiration to so many people, especially families with children who have Downs Syndrome."

A funeral service will be held at the village Methodist Chapel at 11am on Thursday.

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