Two former councillors who served for almost 70 years between them have been made Honorary Aldermen.

Jim Hood and Paul Watkins had their honours confirmed when their certificates were presented at the full Dover District Council meeting last night.

By chance both men were lead figures in the council when Dover was overwhelmed by grief after by the capsizing of the Herald of Free Enterprise in March 1987.

Cllr Sue Chandler, council chairman, said: “It’s fitting that we recognise the contribution to the work of this council of two of its longest serving members from both sides of the chamber.”

The decision to grant the honour was made through a full council meeting vote last October.

Mr Hood, for Labour, was mayor of Dover in 1986-87 and 1995-96 in the pre-Dover Town Council days.

He was a district councillor for 39 years continuously from 1976 to 2015, for Dover’s Town and Pier ward. and holds the record for being the authority’s longest serving member.

He was a cabinet member from 2000 to 2003 and in the shadow cabinet from 2003 to 2004 and 2007 to 2011.

Mr Hood was chairman of the technical services committee from 1995 to 2000, and a scrutiny committee chairman from 2003 to 2015.

Conservative Mr Watkins was a district councillor for a total of 30 years.

He was a member for Lower Walmer from 1983 to 1995 and for St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe from 1999 to September 30 last year.

He was chairman of the council three times, from 1989 to 1992, and leader of the council from 2003, again up to September.

Mr Watkins was leader twice before in a pre-2000 system when he was chairman of the policy and resources committee.

This was from 1986 to 1989 and 1992 to 1993.