Five city centre streets will be closed for the funeral of the Hon Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgan Edwards , this Friday (February 19).

The full length of St Werburgh Street, Eastgate Street and St John Street will be closed to the public between 1pm-3.30pm while the 72-year-old’s funeral service takes place at Chester Cathedral, with parts of Northgate Street and Foregate Street also cordoned off.

Cheshire Constabulary announced the temporary closures today (Tuesday) and added that waiting will prohibited on St Werburgh Street from Northgate Street to Musical Hall Passage from 8am-3.30pm and on Northgate Street from Princess Street to St Werburgh Street.

Judge Edwards, who lived in Lea-by-Backford, passed away at the Countess of Chester Hospital on Thursday, January 28, after having been on long term sick leave for more than a year.

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As the UK’s longest serving circuit judge, he had been Recorder of Chester since 1997 and the resident judge for Cheshire since 2006, presiding over some of the city’s most high profile court cases.

Dozens of tributes were paid to him after his death by some of the city’s leading figures.

Professor Tim Wheeler, vice-chancellor of the University of Chester , where Judge Edwards sat on the governing board, said: “The university is deeply saddened by the untimely death of Judge Elgan Edwards.

“He has been an outstanding governor over the last decade and brought a penetrating intellect, good judgement and boundless enthusiasm, tempered by his inimitable dry humour, to the University Council’s deliberations.

“There is a great sense of loss and the university offers its condolences and deepest sympathy to his wife and two children.”

And Cheshire Constabulary Chief Constable Simon Byrne added: “It is with real sadness we have heard of the death of Judge Elgan Edwards. The county will miss the unswerving efforts from Elgan to discharge the interests of justice over many years.

No judge at Chester Crown Court will be sitting on Friday.