An elderly woman with a life-long love of sailing has left the bulk of her £1 million will to the RNLI.

Joan Nye, 79, who lived in The Martlets, Hove, died in July after suffering several years of ill-health.

The majority of her estate of £1,160,053 has been left for a lifeboat to be named after her late parents, Margaret and Fred.

She also bequeathed £3,000 to All Saints Church in The Drive, Hove, which she attended for many years.

Miss Nye was a keen bird-watcher and money will go to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Her great friend Enid Chadwell, who also lives in Hove, said: "Sailing was her first love and her life-long hobby. She always enjoyed the water.

"Her father was a keen sailor. They used to sail from Sussex along the coast and to France as well."

"She was a competent sailor herself and knew how helpful the RNLI could be."

Ms Chadwell, who had known Miss Nye for nearly 50 years, described her friend as an independent woman who was well-travelled and had many interests.

She said: "She was obviously very comfortably off but never splashed money about except to charities. She gave generously while she was alive."

Miss Nye, who was a driver for officers in Sussex during the Second World War, had not married and was a very private person.

Ms Chadwell said: "She did a lot for the Riding for the Disabled charity and I believe she bought them a pony.

"She worshipped at All Saints, where she was on the flower rota, and was a keen and very knowledgeable gardener and a member of the Royal Horticultural Society.

"She gave the Friends of Pagham Harbour money to buy a caravan so people could watch the birds and make sure they were not disturbed."

Ms Chadwell believes she passed on her own love of birds to her friend and the two women travelled widely, including to the Seychelles and the Galapagos Islands, to see the birds.

She said: "She was an extremely nice woman. I have missed her a lot."

The RNLI has not yet decided where the money will be spent.

Alan Young, honourary secretary of Brighton RNLI, said: "We are very grateful. It is donations like this which allow my crew to carry on their life-saving work."