Guard of honour on chairman's final journey

More than three hundred mourners saw Witham Town’s players form a guard of honour at the funeral of the club’s late chairman Tony Last.

The Ryman League club’s chairman passed away earlier this month aged 65 after suffering a heart attack at their Spa Road ground just over two months after seeing Town win promotion to the Ryman League's top flight via the play-offs.

Before his cremation on Thursday afternoon, manager Garry Kimble and his promotion winning squad escorted the hearse to the Three Counties Crematorium in Halstead Road, Braintree.

Mourners, including Ryman League vice-chairman Nick Robinson, Ryman League secretary Kellie Discipline and club representatives Craig Johnson and Mick Gibson, joined representatives from a number of local clubs and match officials on an emotional day in Essex to pay tribute to Mr Last who oversaw the club’s rise to the Isthmian League over the last 15 years.

Fans, players and officials later joined Mr Last’s family and friends at Spa Road after the service for refreshments.