The funeral of former Mayor of Newark, Tom Bickley, will take place at Newark Parish Church next week

A funeral service for former Mayor of Newark Mr Tom Bickley will take place at Newark Parish Church on Wednesday (February 5).

The service will be at 2.15pm, followed by a private family cremation at Sherwood Forest Crematorium, Ollerton, and a reception at Newark Town Hall at 5pm.

Mr Bickley died peacefully at his Newark home in January, aged 88.

He was a long-standing Newark town and district councillor, and twice mayor of Newark.

He and his wife, Mrs Ondra Bickley, ran an off-licence on Sleaford Road, Newark, for 24 years.

Mr Bickley was also involved with many organisations in the town, including youth football, Age Concern, Newark Technical College, and Newark Twinning Association.

He also helped set up Beaumond House Community Hospice, which helped the family in his final months

Mr Bickley leaves his wife, son and daughter-in law Mark and Frances Bickley, daughter Helen Smith, and grandchildren Oliver, Jude, Zoë and Lucy.