British model Stella Tennant has died at the age of 50, her family has said.

"It is with great sadness we announce the sudden death of Stella Tennant on 22nd December 2020," they said in a statement to the PA news agency.

"Stella was a wonderful woman and an inspiration to us all. She will be greatly missed."

Tennant, from Scotland, made her name in the early 1990s, appearing in photoshoots for publications such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

She appeared on runways and in advertising campaigns for fashion brands including Calvin Klein, Chanel, Jean Paul Gautier and Burberry.

And also starred in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games alongside fellow British models like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.

Tennant was known for her androgynous looks and aristocratic heritage.

Away from the catwalk, she worked on campaigns to promote using less energy and to reduce the environmental impact of fast fashion.

"It's going to take us a long time to change our habits, but I think that this is so obviously a step in the right direction," she told The Guardian last year.

She said at the time that she was re-using clothes she has had since the 90s and only buying about five new items a year.

"At my age I think it's probably quite normal you're not that interested in consuming, [and not] loving shopping as much as when you're much younger. We all need to think a little bit harder."

In 2012, she was inducted into the Scottish Fashion Awards Hall of Fame.

She had been married to French photographer David Lasnet for 21 years. They had four children together.

Wednesday's statement added: "Her family ask for their privacy to be respected. Arrangements for a memorial service will be announced at a later date."