Former Shrewsbury mayor Eileen Sandford dies, 88

Former Mayor of Shrewsbury Eileen Sandford has died in hospital, her family said today.

Mrs Sandford, 88, who was made an MBE by the Queen in 2004, had recently been diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer.

Tributes were paid today to the former nurse who spent years living in Africa with her late husband Hugh and their family before moving back to the UK and later settling in Shropshire where she devoted her life towards serving the public.

She was granted the title of the Mayor of Shrewsbury and Atcham in 2003.

During her year in office, when she was aged 80, she is fondly remembered for taking part in a number of energetic stunts for charity including abseiling down the 120ft Lord Hill's Column in Shrewsbury and a water-skiing.

Mrs Sandford represented the Harlescott ward for many years as both a Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Councillor and Shropshire County Council member.

Mrs Sandford's daughter Helen Sandford said her mother died yesterday morning at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Councillor Peter Nutting, a former colleague of Mrs Sandford, said she would be sadly missed.

He said: "Eileen was a wonderful servant to Shrewsbury and the Harlescott area in particular and she will be sadly missed. Even though she was not a councillor any more she still did a lot for people there and it's very sad news."

Last year Mrs Sandford published her autobiography, Come on Eileen, on her eventful life.

l Tributes — See Page 8