AMESS FAMILY WAS SET FOR BLESSING DAY

DEVOTED father-of-five Sir David Amess had been due to attend a wedding blessing in Parliament for his daughter this Christmas, a friend and former colleague has revealed.

Southend councillor John Lamb said the special occasion, set to be held in a chapel under the House of Commons, will now be “terrible” for the MP’S devastated family.

Sir David’s daughter Florence, thought to live in South Carolina, previously shared a photo from her wedding day in the US. And four weeks before he died, Sir David gave away his daughter Alexandra.

Mr Lamb, who has recently spoken to Sir David’s heartbroken widow Julia Arnold, said: “These are very difficult times for them.

Shattered

“Only two months ago Alexandra, got married and they’d planned that ... [she] was coming over to have her wedding blessed. That was supposed to be happening all round Christmas, so you can imagine how terrible that’s going to be.”

In a statement this week, the MP’S family said their “hearts are shattered” at the loss of a “wonderful and inspiring man” – and called for people “to show kindness and love to all”.

Mr Lamb added: “At the moment they haven’t decided on any of the arrangements for funerals, and we’re not forcing them. It’s on their time.”

The former Transport for London manager, who knew Sir David for 24 years, said two of his MP friends – James Duddridge and Mark Francois – have taken on some of his workload.

It also emerged Southend councillors will be offered facilities at the Civic Centre – which has CCTV, security guards and is just 300m from the police station – to quell safety fears.

But Mr Lamb said he and other local politicians push security fears “to the back of their minds”, adding: “We cannot allow people who commit atrocities like this to get the better of us.”