Traffic approaching the villages of Little Warley and Childerditch was brought to a standstill for the funeral of local farmer Peter Davis.

Mr Davis died of a heart attack, aged 71, in Basildon Hospital, three days after an operation.

It took half an hour for the cortege to move from All Saints and St Faith's Church, Childerditch to the A127.

More than 150 mourners squeezed in to the church, leaving a further 100 to join the service in the churchyard. Their cars lined the length of the lane to the A127, before proceeding to the Upminster Crematorium for the service, conducted by the Rector, the Rev Peter Allcock.

Farmers and friends from many parts of Essex came to pay tribute to Peter who with his father arrived in Little Warley in 1950 at the age of 21 to commence farming on a 17 acre field purchased from Labour peer, Lord Macpherson. Together they set about building the farmhouse, farm buildings, barns and a bungalow which he moved into in Coronation Year 1953.

Almost immediately Peter took an active role in village life and farming affairs. He was a member of the Orsett Show Committee, rising to president in 1996.

He was a member of the Orsett Farmers' Discussion Group, the Little Warley and Childerditch Amenities Society, the Village Hall Committee (chairman on three occasions) and one of the Natter Club's most enthusiastic members for 25 years.

He was ill only a few weeks. In October at the village's Harvest Supper a small presentation was made to mark his 50th harvest safely gathered, 47 of them from his beloved Woodend Farm.

Next door neighbour for 30 years and one of his closest friends David Tee said: "I've never seen so many attend our little church for a funeral. Peter loved the village and was a long time member of the Parish Council, with his wife Shirley working by his side as treasurer.

All his farming friends came to pay their last respects, including John Norris, the Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Essex, from Mountnessing Hall."

He is survived by his widow, son Andrew who farmed with him, and daughter Yvonne who lives in Suffolk.

Mourned: Farmer Peter Davis

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