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The Rev Rav Holy, dressed as Elvis at a previous event

Thom Morris

A vicar dressed as Elvis for the funeral service of a much-loved hairdresser.

There was standing room only at the service for Karen Hymers, 56, as almost 300 people packed Wye parish church dressed in any colour but black and the Rev Ravi Holy appeared as the legendary singer.

Funeral goer Caron Williams said: "Ravi appeared as Elvis to conduct the service, dressed in a black sparkly jacket, complete with a wig and dark glasses.

"But the congregation had been asked not to dress in black. The funeral had all been arranged entirely according to Karen's wishes.

"She wanted a celebration of her life. She didn't want people to mourn, although there were not many dry eyes at the end of it."

Fellow villager and mourner Rosemarie Adams said: "The church was jam-packed.

"The coffin left to the song Simply The Best by Tina Turner. A number of villagers made speeches for her."

Mourners gathered at The Tickled Trout afterwards.

Ms Hymers, who had a partner, two daughters and one granddaughter, died of cancer on June 29.

Ms Hymers had been a hairdresser all her adult life, working at a salon in Wye for 13 years until setting up her own business, Smiles Hairdressing, in 2003.

By mid-2010 she had to close the salon because of ill health.
But by November villagers rallied round to raise £1,500 for a trip to Disneyland Paris for her, her daughter Emma and granddaughter Lily for her contribution to village life.

She had been fundraiser and team secretary for Wye Monarchs Football Club so they organised a charity match to help raise the money.

Other contributors included The Tickled Trout, which organised a race evening, and the New Flying Horse golf group, which held a raffle.

Ms Hymers was also a member of the village social club Mike's Monday Club, which has now set up the Karen Hymers Memorial Fund.

It has so far raised £200 for the Celia Blakey cancer centre in Ashford's William Harvey Hospital.