PARISHIONERS have been left shocked by the sudden death of a 54-year-old clergyman.

Their Rector, Father Francis Searle, had signed his formal resignation papers from All Saints', Eastchurch with Leysdown and St Thomas, Harty, the previous Sunday, March 11, and had been planning to move home to Milton Regis, near Sittingbourne, this week.

Father Francis had been suffering from ill health for some time and collapsed at the Rectory where he was attended by ambulance crew before being taken to Gillingham's Medway Maritime Hospital.

Tributes were led by the Bishop of Dover, the Right Rev Stephen Venner, who said: "Father Francis was devoted to his parish and had a clear vision for working with God to build a positive and creative future.

"So it is a double tragedy that he should have been forced by illness to resign his living, and then to die before he could move with his family and enjoy a period of retirement."

The funeral will be held on Wednesday, March 28, at 2pm at The Garden of England Crematorium, Bobbing.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S SHEERNESS TIMES GUARDIAN