Cynthia Lennon, first wife of The Beatles' John Lennon, has died at her home in Spain, her family has announced. A message on her son Julian's website said she died "following a short but brave battle with cancer".

Julian also tweeted a picture of his mother, who was 75, inside a heart with the message "In Loving Memory".

Lennon was born Cynthia Lillian Powell in Blackpool on 10 September 1939. She grew up in Hoylake with her parents and two elder brothers and started at Liverpool College of Art in 1957. Cynthia met Lennon at art school when he tapped her on the back in class and simply said "Hi, I'm John".



The couple married just before Beatlemania transformed her husband into one of the most famous men in the world. At the height of The Beatles' early success she was, at the insistence of the band's management, kept in the background so their legions of female fans were not aware of her existence.

She stayed at home bringing up Julian while the Fab Four toured the world and topped the charts. The couple divorced in 1968 after Cynthia discovered her husband's affair with Japanese artist Yoko Ono.

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney said: "She was a lovely lady who I've known since our early days together in Liverpool. She was a good mother to Julian and will be missed by us all but I will always have great memories of our times together."

John Lennon's second wife Yoko Ono added: "She had such a strong zest for life and I felt proud how we two women stood firm in the Beatles family. Please join me in sending love and support to Julian at this very sad time. Love, Yoko".

While Ringo Starr tweeted: "Peace and love to Julian Lennon God bless Cynthia love Ringo and Barbara xx".

After divorcing LENNON, CYNTHIA married three more times. In 1970 she wed Italian hotelier Roberto Bassanini and six years later married engineer John Twist from Lancashire. Both relationships ended divorce. She later wed former nightclub owner Noel Charles in 2002. He died in 2013.