TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Vicar of Chepstow who died suddenly on 11th May.

Bishop David Thomas, who was 74, was the Vicar of Chepstow from 1979 until 1982, between two appointments at St Stephen’s House, Oxford.

The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Davies, paid tribute to Bishop David’s “long and distinguished ministry”.

He said: “The sudden death of Bishop David Thomas, almost immediately after he and his wife Rosemary returned from a holiday celebrating their golden wedding anniversary, comes as a terrible shock to the many in the Church in Wales and beyond who both respected and loved Bishop David, and who had benefited from his long and distinguished ministry.

“At heart David was, I believe, a parish priest with great love and care for the people committed to his care.”

The Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, 5th June, at 11am in St Mary’s Priory Church, Abergavenny.