Tributes have been paid to a St Ives church minister who dedicated more than 30 years to serving his community.

Reverend Vic Hudson, 69, worked at the Crossways Christian Centre in the town, but died suddenly on August 15 while visiting schools, orphanages, and prisons near Durban, in South Africa.

Although it was his first trip to the country, he had also visited India and America to help others, as well as being a firm fixture in the community back home in Cambridgeshire.

“I’ve had so many messages from people saying it was his kindness and willingness to help people [that he’ll be remembered for]”, his wife, Alison, 66, told The Hunts Post.

“When people broke down he would drop everything and sort them out.

“One of the things that demonstrates his character is when the Crossways Christian Centre had a big fire,” she added.

“One night, someone he had been helping set fire to it and he went to visit him in prison and told him he had forgiven him.”

A carpenter and joiner by trade, Reverend Hudson even helped to rebuild the church, and was involved in every aspect of its running, including the children’s summer club and events for mothers and babies.

He was also known for supporting the St Ives carnival, the Memory Lane Singing Café, and for serving as a St Ivo School governor in the 1980s.

Jennie Jarvis, 41, his daughter, said: “A lot of people have been saying they were sorry we had to share our dad with everybody. I think that sums it up and he put others before everything and was always there for everybody.”

Reverend Hudson, who had been married for 45 years, lived in St Ives for 20 years before moving to Huntingdon.

He also leaves behind his son, Andrew, 43, and daughter Vicky Kent, 34.

The funeral will be on August 31 at 1.30pm at the Crossways Christian Centre. Contact Dennis Easton Funeral Services on 01480 879190 for more information.