A parish councillor has celebrated 45 years of service to the community that supported him after the tragic death of his wife.

Derek Matthews, of Colchester Road, Bures, was left a widower when his 33-year-old wife Sally was killed in a road accident, leaving him to bring up their two children, Sarah and Andrew, alone.

But the community of Bures Hamlet pulled together to support him following the tragedy and, as a thank you, Mr Matthews has devoted the last 45 years to giving something back to the village, becoming a parish councillor for the village in 1969.

See this week's Halstead Gazette for the full story.