A VILLAGE community will get the chance this week to pay respects to a much-loved local resident.

Hazel Swift passed away last weekend, just a few months after her husband Godwin, who died in January aged 90. Residents have described Hazel as 'The Queen of the village'.

The couple had lived in Horndon for almost 50 years, raising two daughters there and becoming well established in many local organisations and events.

Godwin, a retired solicitor who operated a successful legal practice in Stanford-le-Hope for decades, is a a descendant of Gulliver's Travels author Jonathan Swift and in 2017 the village celebrated that by basing its annual Feast and Fayre on his works.

Due to Covid-19, there is a restriction on the number of people who are able to attend Hazel's funeral next week and many people have requested the chance to say their farewells, so the family have arranged that she is taken on a final tour of Horndon before a service at the village church.

On Thursday, 30 July, the hearse will leave Hope House on the High Road at approximately 2.45pm moving down South Hill, Pump Street and Horndon Road where it will turn back up the hill, along the High Road, past the Woolmarket and into Mill Lane. It will then turn left into Hillcrest Road and then left into Gordon Road and finally make its way along Orsett Road to the Church.

Daughters Caroline and Vanessa added: "If you would like to make a floral tribute, please deliver it to Hope House, where we would like all Hazel's friends and neighbours to be able to see them.

"To the residents of Horndon on the Hill and the wider community – thank you for the love and friendship shown to Hazel over her 48 years in the village and for all your kind thoughts and words in recent days."