A grandmother-of-five who was twice the Lady Mayoress of Canterbury has died after a short illness.

Barbara Todd, who died on Thursday at the age of 67, has been hailed as a “superb” public figure.

The mother-of-two, wife of Canterbury City Council’s deputy leader Pat Todd, was Lady Mayoress in 2006/07 and again in 2010/11.

Cllr Todd, who represents Chestfield ward, said: “I first stood for election in 1999 and invited Barbara to come to the count. She declined and I was told only to wake her up if I lost.

“But she grew into it and was a rather superb Lady Mayoress who subsequently served on the Lady Mayoress’s Charity committee."

Born in Maidstone, Barbara Todd went to Mole Hill Copse Primary School and then Senacre Secondary before joining the police cadets in 1967 where she met her husband.

The couple, who moved to Canterbury in 1969 before settling in their current home in Whitstable, got married in 1970.

Eight years later, Mrs Todd left the force to start a family.

Cllr Todd added: “She worked in a specialist department that looked after children and young people and dealt with issues affecting women.”

The city council’s chief executive Colin Carmichael said: “The thoughts of the whole council are with Cllr Todd and his family.

“Barbara was a great supporter of the council, was an incredibly popular Lady Mayoress and was very active in supporting the causes that other Lady Mayoresses raised funds for.”