A DEVOTED member of Colchester Spiritualist Church has been honoured for her 50 years of membership with a dedication award.

Betty Buck, 87, who is the president of the church, has been given the Gold Service Award from the Spiritualists' National Union.

Since she first became a member in 1960s, Betty has served a number of roles including secretary, vice president and moved into her current position 12 years ago.

In 1998 she became an officiant of the union, and has conducted countless marriages, naming ceremonies and funerals and the church on Fennings Chase.

She said: "I am thrilled to be honoured with this award.

"I have been at Colchester Church for such a long time, it’s like a family to me.

"We are delighted at how the church continues to grow and we hope to continue our work at the church for many more years to come."

Minister David Brutton said: "As the organisation responsible for more than 350 SNU churches around the UK, we are always keen to acknowledge the hard work carried out by our congregation at churches across the UK.

"In this case, Betty’s dedication to spiritualism couldn’t go unnoticed – she is an extraordinary woman."