A village correspondent who served a weekly newspaper for more than a quarter of a century has died aged 90.

Tributes have been paid to Phyllis Hayhurst, who covered the village of Northamptonshire village of Welford for the Harborough Mail, based just over the border in Leicestershire.

Phyllis, pictured, took over the job in 1978 from her daughter, Ruth., who went on to become a professional journalist and also worked for the Mail.

She told her old paper: “Phyllis loved talking to people so the job of Welford village correspondent was perfect for her.

“She was also exceptionally good at shorthand so if something was in her notebook you knew it was accurate.”

Away from her work for the Mail, Phyllis lived in Welford for more than 50 years and taught business subjects at Lutterworth College.

A service in her memory will be held at St Mary the Virgin Church, Welford, at 2.30pm on Saturday 16 March 2024, followed by refreshments in the village hall.