ERIC Close, who was proud to be a lone Liberal on Labour-dominated Durham County Council and was a long serving member of Teesdale District Council, has died aged 86.

Friends paid tribute to him yesterday as a quietly-spoken gentleman who often got his own way by putting over a polite argument rather being forceful or loud.

He won the Barnard Castle West seat on the county council for the Liberals in 1958, and made many friends among the controlling Labour group on the council in the following years.

Mr Close, who was son of a Methodist minister, lived in Cleveland Road, Barnard Castle. He did a lot of work for the Richardson Hospital, Bowes Museum, the Scouts and other organisations.

He served on the district council for more than 30 years and was made an honorary alderman of Teesdale in 1994 in recognition of his work.

Another former councillor, Clifford Sykes, said yesterday: "He got things done by being quietly spoken and extremely polite."

He also served on Barnard Castle Town Council for many years and was a former mayor.

He joined the Territorial Army in Darlington in February 1939. At the outbreak of the Second World War he volunteered for the Palestine police force. He was a detective sergeant in Jerusalem during the 1940s.

After the war he joined Glaxo, in Barnard Castle, as an accountant.

Mr Close, whose wife Cherry died ten years ago, is survived by his son, Antony.

A funeral service will be held at Darlington Crematorium next Monday, at 11.45am.