THE people of Westbury have been shocked by the death of town and district councillor John Annetts.

Cllr Annetts, who had been a tireless campaigner in the town for more than 16 years, died in the early hours of Wednesday morning, July 24, of a suspected heart attack. He was 68.

He leaves his wife Sophie, and children Tom, Richard and Helen.

His death comes just a month after former town clerk and Westbury stalwart Graham Miles died.

Town councillor Mike Pearce grew up with Cllr Annetts in Bratton and knew him all his life.

Cllr Pearce said: "John's forte was to take on peoples' problems and solve them. He had the personal touch."

Cllr Annetts was Mayor in the 1996-97 and 2001-02 sessions and before taking on the role of a Westbury councillor he was a parish councillor for Bratton.

Westbury town clerk Les Fry and Mayor Bill Braid said Cllr Annetts would be sorely missed by everyone in the town.

On behalf of the council, they said: "Cllr Annetts was a respected and well-liked member of the council.

"He was a man of the people, a face that was recognisable within the town and a person who will be missed by young and old."

Cllr Annetts was elected to West Wiltshire District Council in 1991. He held many positions with the council over the years, but at the time of his death was the cabinet spokesman for tourism.

Away from politics he was a renowned fundraiser, often covering for Father Christmas in and around the Westbury area and at the district council's hostel for homeless families in Melksham.

He was a great supporter of Children in Need and would tour the council offices with a town crier's bell to encourage donations.

Cllr Alison Irving, chairman of West Wiltshire District Council, said: "This has been a terrible shock to all of us. John was a lovely man who worked very hard for the people of Westbury."

Cllr Annetts was also a familiar face at Castle Combem Circuit, where he was a marshal on race days, and he will be sorely missed by everyone there too.