Tributes have been paid following the death of a long-serving Thornbury councillor.

Clare Fardell passed away on Friday. She served on Thornbury Town Council for several decades and was well known in the town.

Before standing down ahead of last year's local elections, Clare was also a South Gloucestershire councillor - having first been elected to what was the Northavon District Council in 1987.

Speaking at the time she said: "It has been a great privilege to represent Thornbury for so long and to have been involved in so many worthwhile projects.

"These include my part in obtaining planning permission to restore the Town Hall, and I also worked hard to enable our first nursing home, Beech House, to be built.

"I was pleased to be very involved in the campaigns for much-needed pedestrian crossings on Gloucester Road, and later at Crossways School."

Clare also opened the Over 60s Tea Room in Thornbury Town Hall in 1994, and was a school governor at Gillingstool Primary for eight years.

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Clare Fardell, left, at the 25th anniversary of the tea room last year

A spokesman for South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats said: "We are very sad to have to announce the death of our dear friend and colleague Cllr Clare Fardell.

"Clare’s contribution to our lives, both personally and as a community was immense.

"Always mindful of the needs of the individual she was also instrumental in starting projects that now enrich Thornbury life, such as Thornbury in Bloom, the Volunteer Centre, the Over 60s Tea Room and much more.

"We will pay further tribute to her 40+ years of campaigning for Thornbury in the near future. We will all miss her so much.

"Our thoughts are with her husband Martin and her large and loving family."