Dianne Oxberry's weather presenter colleague paid an emotional tribute to the broadcaster live on air.

Simon King told Radio 5 Live how the death of the North West Tonight meteorologist, aged 51 after suffering from cancer, had come as a shock.

"It's devastating, absolutely devastating. It's been such a quick process, this whole thing," he told the station's breakfast show.

"It's hit us like a ton of bricks, it really has."

Presenter Rachel Burden asked him: "Are you OK to do the weather?"

"Yes," he replied, his voice breaking, before saying: "So, excuse me," and going on to regain his composure and present the forecast.

Co-host Nicky Campbell told him afterwards: "You did her proud Si."

Burden said she got to know Oxberry in the last couple of years "as part of the BBC Women's Network and she was an incredible support and a great champion for her female colleagues here at the BBC".

"I can't tell you the impact she made in talking to other people and supporting them in their own personal journeys," she said.

"She was a really loyal and very generous colleague to people here."

Campbell described Oxberry as a "wonderful person, sweet and warm woman".

He added: "She kept it real. She was so genuine on the air. There was no affectation at all.

"The best broadcasters, something we all aspire to, is to be exactly what you are on the screen and off the screen and on the radio and off the radio and she did that brilliantly."

Tributes have been paid to the BBC weather presenter Dianne Oxberry following her death.

Broadcasters Dan Walker, Simon Mayo and Jane Garvey were among those who paid tribute to the "amazing" Oxberry.

BBC Breakfast host Walker wrote on Twitter: "This is incredibly sad. What an amazing woman Dianne was and such a professional broadcaster. Devastating news for her family. Heartbreaking.

"What a special person Dianne Oxberry was. I was privileged enough to work with her on @BBCNWT and she was as loved and admired in the office as she was by the viewers. Whenever you were on location everyone would tell you how much they enjoyed watching Dianne. Such sad news."

Woman's Hour host Garvey wrote: "Dianne was a formidable voice for women at the BBC, a fantastically supportive colleague. Thank you for speaking up #BBCWomen".

Mayo wrote: "Devastated to hear this news. She was a wonderful, joyous part of our breakfast team at Radio 1. I loved working with her. My condolences to her family."

Former Radio 1 DJ Mike Read wrote: "Shocked to hear about Dianne Oxberry who I remember fondly from Radio One working with Steve Wright and Simon Mayo. Very sad news to start the day."

North West Tonight presenter Roger Johnson said: "We are heartbroken by Dianne's death. It is almost impossible to comprehend. Dianne was North West Tonight. It's hard to imagine the programme without her.

"Our thoughts are with Ian and all of Dianne's family. We hope they will find some comfort in the knowledge so many people loved Dianne and will miss her terribly."

Annabel Tiffin, another presenter of the programme, said: "This is an enormous shock for all of us. I can scarcely believe Dianne has died. She was loved by our viewers, by all of us at North West Tonight. My heart breaks for her family.

"Di was so talented, so beautiful, so funny and so full of life. On screen she was a star, radiating warmth and good humour. Off screen, she was a wonderful colleague, a loyal friend, and I will miss her terribly."

Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz in Manchester-based soap Coronation Street, wrote on Twitter: "So sorry to hear this. All love to Dianne's family."

Helen Thomas, director of BBC England, said Oxberry had a "remarkable career" and added: "She was a brilliant weather presenter, showed she could do serious journalism with Inside Out and could do the lighter end of broadcasting brilliantly whenever it was needed.

"Above all she was a lovely woman whose sudden and shocking death has robbed the BBC of one of our brightest stars. I'm thinking of all her family and friends at this awful time."