MEMBERS of the nobility joined family, friends and employees this week to pay tribute to Belinda Lambton, the estranged wife of Lord Lambton.

Universally known as 'Bindy' Lambton, she died aged 81 surrounded by members of her family, in hospital in London on February 13.

Her funeral was held in London on Wednesday and a service was planned for St Barnabas Church in Burnmoor, near Chester-le-Street, next to the Lambton estate this Thursday.

Born the daughter of a Life Guards officer at the family home at Westward Ho!, North Devon, in December 1921, she met and married the then Tony Lambton, son of the 5th Earl of Durham, in the early 1940s.

She lived in Biddick Hall on the family estate between Chester-le-Street and Washington, and was mother to five daughters, the eldest being Lucinda the acclaimed photographer, author, broadcaster and architectural historian.

Her sixth and final child was her only son, her husband's heir Edward 'Ned' Lambton, who is now Lord Durham, among whose property is Witton Castle, near Bishop Auckland.

The family also owned premises in London's West End and Bindy was known for throwing lavish parties for the great and good of the day.

Her husband, the Tory MP for Berwick on Tweed from 1951, became a junior defence minister in Edward Heath's newly-elected Government of 1970. But on the death of his father, the 5th Earl of Durham, that year, he had to renounce his peerage to retain his seat in the Commons.

In 1973 he was named in an alleged sex scandal and stood down, moving to live in Italy, following the breakdown of the marriage. He still lives in a villa near Siena, in Tuscany.

Despite two bad accidents which left her suffering multiple injuries, Bindy became an accomplished, and daring, deep sea diver.

She retained a renowned 'joie de vivre' and among her wide circle of friends of recent years was the musician and broadcaster Jools Holland.

Wednesday's funeral was staged at Chelsea Old Church, near one of her London homes.

Thursday's short service, attended by many of the staff at Biddick Hall and the Lambton Estate, was taken by the Rev Nicholas Chamberlain.

It was followed by burial in the family plot in St Barnabas' Churchyard.