Bert Crane, thought to be one of the country’s longest continuous serving councillors when he stepped down in 2012, sadly passed away at East Surrey Hospital on Wednesday night.

The 87-year-old served West Green residents for the whole of his 58 year service. He was elected to Horsham District Council in 1954, before an authority for Crawley was set up two years later.

His long service to the town saw Bert, a Labour councillor, representing the community under 13 Prime Ministers including Winston Churchill. To commend these efforts, he was one of few people to be awarded Freedom of the Borough in 1995 and made Honorary Alderman in 2012.