Tributes have been paid to a “well respected” grandmother who was a councillor for more than 30 years.

Cllr Ann Muckle, who represented Temple Hill ward in Dartford until her retirement in 2015, passed away last month.

She was Mayoress of Dartford in 1973 and 1974 and was granted the Merit Award, a major accolade within the Labour Party, for her dedication and contribution to the community.

Her son Tony Muckle said: “Being active in local politics and volunteering within the local community was in her DNA and she embraced it with enthusiasm, pride, and commitment.

“She was strong and focused and very passionate about doing what she thought was the right thing for the community.

“She prided herself on being someone who helped others in the community for many years.

“The whole house was a hub of activity. She was a very active person in the community and I saw that firsthand.

“She was well respected, a pillar of her community. Nobody ever had a bad word to say against her.

“However, she still made time for us. The family still came first for her and we were her priority despite anything else she had going on.

“She will be remembered by the family with pride for what she did and achieved.

“She was very much the organiser behind the scenes across everything she did, and this is something that has been instilled very much into us children.”

Geoff Prout, former leader of the Labour Group on Dartford council from 2006 to 2015, described Cllr Muckle as an “exceptionally fine example of what is expected of a ward councillor”.

He added: “She was assiduous in following up on residents' inquiries and complaints and succeeded in improving their circumstances very often, and was respected widely for that.

“When she spoke at council meetings, not often, you could be assured that she was particularly anxious about something and was determined that her voice be heard.

“Ann was a tireless campaigner for the Labour Party for most of her life.”

Born in Crayford, Cllr Muckle lived in Temple Hill for more than 60 years.

The 87-year-old was married to her husband and fellow councillor John Muckle for 56 years before he died in 2014.

She was the chairwoman of Temple Hill’s school governing body for more than 20 years, a member of the residents’ association and forum and a badge trainer with the area’s Brownie pack.

Outside of her work locally, the mum-of-two was also once an accountant typist in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, and a secretary to former Dartford MP Sydney Irving.

Once her children started school, she worked as an executive assistant to the southern regional secretary of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians until her retirement.

In her later years, Cllr Muckle was diagnosed with dementia and had been living in a care home in Erith for the past five years.

She passed away on August 20, leaving behind her two younger brothers Peter and Alan, daughter Carol, son Tony, her four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Her funeral will be held on Monday, September 30, at 3pm at Thames View Crematorium and Cemetery, in Shorne.