McCartney pays tribute to first wife

Sir Paul McCartney has paid tribute to his "smart and talented" first wife Linda.

The ex-Beatle spoke about his former partner and bandmate before the opening of a new London exhibition dedicated to Linda's photography.

Speaking about her attributes, the 65-year-old said: "She was a great person to hang out with. She was a very natural girl, naturally blonde. She was so funny, smart and talented. "

Talking about the exhibition, he added: "Probably the most haunting photograph in this collection is the self-portrait she took in 1997.

"She’d had chemo and her hair was growing back - it was a very chic look. She didn’t know she was dying. She was such a strong, forward-thinking lady. She was fighting right up to the end."

Linda, who worked as photographer, musician and animal rights activist, died in 1998 from breast cancer.