Sandy Ratcliff, who played much-loved character Sue Osman in the soap, was discovered in a north London care home on Sunday morning. Image undated
An original member of the Eastenders cast has died at the age of 70, in a care home in north London.
Sandy Ratcliff played the much loved Sue Osman in the popular BBC1 soap from the first episode it aired in 1985 until 1989.
In her role she took on a number of tough storylines including when she lost her baby to cot death syndrome in 1985.
Offscreen, she faced her own personal battles with drink and drugs which drew her into the lime-light.
It was reported in 1988 that she had an alcohol-fuelled bust-up with her boyfriend while holidaying in Tenerife before she was written out of the show because of a heroin addiction the following year.
The mother-of-one to her son William also suffered three strokes and was later diagnosed with cancer.
Her cause of death is not yet known.
Nejdet Salih, who played Ali, paid tribute to the mother of one last night.
'It's very sad. I remember the first time I auditioned for the show, we had this instant chemistry and banter,' he told The Sun.
'I remember going to her flat to rehearse lines and her son William and boyfriend Tony would be there.
'She was a great mum. There was nothing she wouldn't do for William.'
After leaving the show in 1989, Ratcliff slipped into heroin and alcohol addiction before later retraining as a counsellor.
She was written out of the soap after her battle with addiction came to light.
Following her death, a friend said she had been clean of drugs
