CROWDS flooded the streets of Burnham to give a community stalwart a “staggering” send off.

Grandfather Keith Williams, 58, died on June 20 after a week in hospital. He had been airlifted to Basildon Hospital after he collapsed in Burnham.

Mr Williams was a trombone player with Rayleigh Brass, editor of the Burnham and Dengie Hundred Review and ran Keith Williams Photography with son Morgan and wife Ann.

At the funeral service at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Church in Burnham on Wednesday July 13, hundreds of people gathered, with the church full to bursting and people spilling out into the yard.

Catherine and Jennifer Williams, Keith’s daughters, gave speeches, with his son Morgan delivering a eulogy.

The crowds joined then Keith’s family in equal numbers for the ceremony at Chelmsford, where Rayleigh Brass, where Keith performed as a trombone player, played a piece as a final send off for Keith.

People then returned to Burnham, where the band and crowds proceeded to The Queen’s Head on Providence, where the band set up in the street and performed many pieces including Welsh hymns and an exclusive trombone piece played by seven different members.

Morgan Williams, Keith’s son, said: “It was a lovely and fitting send off for my dad.

“We had a lot of family down from Wales and Ireland for the day, and the turn out by everyone who knew dad was absolutely wonderful, it meant so much to all of our family to see so many people there all day.

“I think we are extremely lucky to have such a close-knit and caring community in Burnham and the Dengie.”

In honour of Keith’s memory, The Queen’s Head named a real ale after him with all proceeds going to Kidney Research UK, which Keith had raised funds for throughout his life.

Morgan added: “The ale that was put in dad’s name wasn’t around for long, everyone wanted to try it. All of the proceeds for it went to Kidney Research UK, as it was dad’s chosen charity all the time. We don’t know how much was raised yet, but I imagine it will be quite a lot.

"The performance by dads band, Rayleigh Brass, was wonderful, he would of loved it."

Burnham Mayor Ron Pratt said: “It was a staggering turnout. Inside the church for the funeral, the whole standing space was full of people, and they were spilling out into yard from the main entrance.

“Normally you have less people attending the crematorium service, but when we were there at the slightly bigger one in Chelmsford, it was still completely full at the seams.

“Rayleigh Brass followed us all the way, and when they filled up the road outside the Queen’s Head it was magnificent.”