Tributes paid to 'highly respected' councillor

Patrick Solomon served as a councillor in Bedford for more than three years

Tributes have been paid to a "highly respected" councillor who has died a week after the death of his wife.

Bedford Borough Council said it was mourning the loss of Patrick Solomon, who represented the town's Kingsbrook ward since 2019.

He died suddenly on Thursday.

The Liberal Democrat's passion was to "work in the community" and he had also been a street pastor in Luton for six years, the council said.

The Liberal Democrat elected mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: "Patrick's death comes just one week after the death of his beloved wife Joan, following Joan's long illness.

"Patrick was one of the nicest people you could wish to meet and lived out his values of service to the community, making a difference in so many lives.

"He considered it an honour to be a councillor, and we considered it an honour to have known him."

He said he would be greatly missed.

The Borough Flag at Borough Hall had been lowered as a mark of respect, the council added.