City at standstill as hundreds mourn popular Lord Mayor

Preceded by a lone piper the hearse made its way down Alfred Gelder Street, Lowgate and into Whitefriargate, followed by 300 mourners.

Capt John Hotchin, who led the service, attended by Hull Labour MPs MP Alan Johnson and Karl Turner and other dignitaries including the Deputy Lieutenant of the East Riding Nick Hildyard and the High Sheriff Adrian Horsley, said Coun Petch was a person “who lived for her family, an outstanding and distinctive personality.

“She was down to earth – what you saw was what you got. Brenda would always help others, in fact she would often put others before herself.”

Coun Petch - who earned the title “Mother” of the City Council as the authority’s longest-serving woman – died just two weeks after being diagnosed with bowel, liver and lung cancer. Coun Petch served as Lord Mayor of Hull and Admiral of the Humber in 2007/2008 - following in the footsteps of husband Brian, now Alderman, who was Lord Mayor in 1999/2000.

Resident Rita Burnby said: “She was a lovely person, she spoke up for everybody. She was brilliant.”