IT fell to the Bishop of Colchester to inform members of Colchester Civic Society that the Queen had died at the age of 96.

The Rt Rev Bishop Roger, who is a vice president at the group, had been at the Town House where a briefing was being held about Colchester’s town deal funding.

As the meeting ended, it fell to the Bishop to break the news and hold a minute’s silence for the late monarch.

Breaking the minute’s silence, he said: “Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord, and let light perpetual shine, upon them, may she rest in peace.”