A former mayor who gave much of her life to the community died just a month after her beloved husband.

Tributes have poured in to Barbara Palmer, who was in office in New Romney from 2001 to 2004 and had also been a town councillor for a decade until 2005.

The mother-of-two died on December 12, aged 86, after suffering with dementia.

Her husband of more than 50 years, Ken, died just weeks before, on November 10, aged 88, having suffered prostate cancer and heart failure.

Mrs Palmer's death was announced by New Romney Town Council.

A statement said: “It is with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Barbara Palmer.

“She championed a variety of causes, and was involved both during her council time and after with numerous community groups and events.

“She will be sadly missed by many.

“Our condolences go to her family and friends.”

The Cinque Ports flag was flown at half mast on the Town Hall for two days, and this will be done again on the day of Mrs Palmer's funeral as a mark of respect.

Her funeral will be held at Charing Crematorium from 2.30pm on Monday, January 16.

The wake afterwards is at the Ship Hotel in New Romney where all are welcome.

Donations are asked for to Alzheimer's Research UK.

Mrs Palmers was one of the mayors to attend the Queen Mother's funeral in 2002.

Outside council work she had been involved with Age Concern New Romney, and was a trustee of the Southland Almshouse Charity until recently.

In her working life Mrs Palmer had been a guide at the Dungeness A nuclear power station in the 1970s and 1980s, later moving to Dungeness B’s training department and retiring in the 1990s.

She was at the A station during a filming of a Doctor Who four-episode story, The Claws of Axos, in 1971 when Jon Pertwee was the Doctor.

Current mayor Paul Thomas, who had first met Mrs Palmer while working at the power complex, said: “Barbara was there during the filming but I understand she did not actually appear on the screen.

“She was a very caring person and was always involved in youth organisations such and guides, brownies and sea cadets regularly attending their events.

“She would donate to these groups through the mayor’s fund but carried on supporting them afterwards.”

Mrs Palmer had lived in New Romney for several years but was originally from Faversham.

She had married Ken in Faversham on September 3, 1965.

He was a mechanical fitter at Dungeness A and then B after they moved to Romney Marsh.

The couple had two children, Carol Dodd, 65, and Mark Palmer, 59, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Mrs Palmer had been in a care home in Folkestone since the summer.

The Claws of Axos was filmed at Dungeness between January 4 and 8, 1971 .

Shooting took place mainly at the southern end of Dungeness Road where visual effects included a spaceship sticking out of shingle.

The Britannia pub was a base for the make-up and wardrobe assistants.

Filming also centred around Dengemarsh Road as well as the power station site, used as the fictional Nuton Power Complex. Only Dungeness A existed then.