A devoted husband and wife who were married for 68 years have died just four days apart.

Robert and Phyllis Challis, who lived in Hanover Bridge, now Hanover Square, in Feering, all of their married life, will be jointly buried at Feering Cemetery on Monday following a funeral service at the village’s All Saints Church.

Mrs Challis, 88, died on June 29 - just four days after her beloved husband Robert, 91, who was known as Bob, died following a severe stroke in May.

They spent the last months of their lives living together in Boars Tye residential care home in Silver End.

Their son Stuart, 68, of Chelmsford, said the pair were the love of each other’s lives and is convinced that his mum “gave up” after learning of his dad’s death.

He said: “My dad had been in the home six or seven weeks before he died. He just took to his bed and died."

See the Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.