HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to a long-serving community stalwart who has died after a battle with cancer.

Gerald Wallington-Hayes, who has died aged 86, spent much of his life serving his beloved town as Harwich mayor, as well as serving as a councillor on Tendring Council and Harwich Town Council.

He worked for many years as chairman of Harwich and District Crime Prevention Panel and was district co-ordinator for the Neighbourhood Watch after helping form it in 1982.

Mr Wallington-Hayes completed National Service in the Army from 1949-1951, including a course at Sandhurst.

He joined P&O Ferries in 1950 as a junior purser, travelling on the company’s Royal Mail ships through the Mediterranean, to India, Australia and New Zealand.

In 1957, he joined Ellerman Lines ships as Chief Steward, visiting exotic places such as the Panama Canal.

Mr Wallington-Hayes, of Highfield Avenue, Dovercourt, was honoured to be awarded an MBE for community services in 2003.

His widow, Peggy, said: “How many of you walking along from the doctor, taking your swim or sending your child down to the skate park stop to consider who was the driving force behind all these amenities – yet there is no blue plaque to Gerald Wallington-Hayes.

“Gerald finally came ashore in 1969 and joined Trinity House as Catering Superintendent at Harwich and brought in a high standard by training galley staff, setting up food depots around the country and drawing up contracts for the supply of fresh and dried fruit, fish, meat and other items.

“Eventually Trinity House decided to do things differently from London, and he was made redundant in 1985.

“Gerald believed strongly in children participating in activities outside in the open air and if it helped others so much the better.

“He served in on Tendring Council from 1975–1987 and Harwich Town Council from 1975-1992, holding the office of Mayor from 1987-1989.

“During this period, Gerald was active in community issues, cutting crime, an annual road show attended by an average of 150 children, junior gardening schemes for primary children and poetry competitions.”

Mr Wallington-Hayes had volunteered for the North Essex Mental Health Partnership since 1976.

His son, Christopher, added: “It was a bit unexpected - he had been struggling with some major medical issues including leukaemia but it was quite sudden.

“He spent an inordinate amount of time trying to do things for the community, such as the skate park and the swimming pool and he spent a lot of time and effort on the seafront. He did an enormous amount for mental health.

“He was extremely proud when he was mayor of Harwich and to visit the palace to receive his MBE.”