TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who was dedicated to helping others.

Peter Mecklenburgh was one of the founders of Myland Parish Council in 1999 and its first chairman for four years. He died suddenly at the age of 76.

Mr Mecklenburgh played an important role in a rapidly evolving Mile End, an area of Colchester which has been transformed with huge housing development, and his campaigning for what was initially called a parish council before being re-named community council.

Close friend Patrick Mills said: “Peter played an important part in Mile End life. He shaped the council’s early development and influenced Mile End life greatly for the better.”

He was presented with a Myland Order of Merit when he stepped down as chairman.

Mr Mecklenburgh attended North Primary School and then St Helena School. He was a self-employed businessman with various activities in his working life, connected with building, property and development.

Mr Mecklenburgh was married to wife Frances for 55 years and they had daughters Louise and Charlotte and grandchildren Sam, Mai and Marnie Moonbeam.

The interest which his wife and two daughters had in horses led them 30 years ago to buying a field off Severalls Lane, where for 15 years Mr and Mrs Mecklenburgh lived in a mobile home so that they were on site with the stables.

Then, in 2007, the field was acquired as part of a major commercial development alongside the A12, and Mr and Mrs Mecklenburgh retired to Groton in Suffolk.

Their daughter Louise has a hairdressing salon in North Station Road, the area of Colchester where the family had lived for three generations.

Looking back on the formation of the community council, Mr Mills said: “There was a strong feeling in Mile End that plans were being made for huge housing developments and residents were not being kept in the picture.

“In 1998, a decision was made to try to form a parish council so there would be a body to speak for residents.

A steering committee was formed, mostly led by Peter, and this group set about the legal requirements for forming a parish council, which came into being in 1999.”