by Angela Cole
acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

An inspiration to many, with the admiration of all, is how one of Maidstone's town centre PC's is being remembered.

This is how town centre PC Linda Gillette was described by Maidstone police this week after she sadly succumbed to the rare form of breast and bone cancer she had battled since 2007.

PC Gillette will be remembered for her dedication to the job, which saw her fight to continue working throughout her illness.

Her popularity was such that she even found cards from criminals among her well wishes following her diagnosis.

PC Gillette, who lived in Snodland, continued working for the police up to the middle of this year, until she became too ill.

She died at the Heart of Kent Hospice in Aylesford on Friday at the age of 52, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Her long term partner Scott Halford, 49, whom she married in 2009 in the Caribbean, said: “She was very positive through it all.
“She was more upset and cried more that she couldn’t go to work than she did about being sick.”

Linda started as a special constable when she was 40, and became a familiar and popular face around Maidstone.

PC Gillette received an area commander's award two years ago for her support to the Maidstone business community and a Kent Messenger Pride of Maidstone award.

More tributes to PC Linda Gillette are in the current edition of the Kent Messenger.