A vicar has spoken of the shock and pain felt by the whole community after the death of pensioner Harjit Chaggar.

The body of retired machinist Mrs Chaggar, 69, was found at the Sani Globe food store in Luton Road, Chatham, on Saturday, September 14.

The mother and grandmother had been missing from her home in Hillside Terrace, Chatham, since September 2.

Three men, who all work at the shop, have been charged with her murder. Abdul Hannan, 44, Murshed Miah, 38, both from Maidstone, and Mohammad Islam, 28, from Gillingham, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday and have been remanded in custody.

Rev Keith Johnson, vicar at All Saints Church in Magie Hall Road, Chatham, said the community will take a long time to come to terms with what has happened.

Rev Johnson led a prayer walk around the Luton area following the discovery of Mrs Chaggar's body.

He said: "As a group we felt the grief of the family as well as the grief and shock of the whole community and wanted to do something to make a difference.

"Members of our congregation know Mrs Chaggar's family and there are some who knew Mrs Chaggar and knew her reasonably well, so there was a personal level to it as well.

"On a community level, we felt the pain and the shock a lot of people felt."

Rev Johnson was joined by a small group from the church for the walk, which began in Luton Road.

Their route took them past the doctor's surgery in Magpie Hall Road, one of the last places Mrs Chaggar was seen, and past the Sani Globe food store.

Rev Johnson said: "We prayed for God's protection and to bring peace to the area.

"We started out in Luton Road and did a circuit. From Luton Road we went towards Luton Arches and then into Magpie Hall Road and then past the site where the forensic officers still were.

'It will take a long time to come to terms with what has happened' - Rev Keith Johnson

"We met people from the newspaper shop who were just closing up and prayed for them, we also prayed for the doctor’s surgery and the school.

"People stopped and asked us what we were doing. Quite a lot of people came up to us and seemed to really appreciate what we were doing."

Rev Johnson added: "What has happened has brought people together.

"As a Christian I believe prayer makes a difference and God doesn't want us to just pray in church. Actually physically walking can make a difference.

"I think by the end of the night there did feel like more of a peace in the area.

"The community and her family are going to take a long time to come to terms with what has happened and we will continue to pray."