A FORMER mayor of Spennymoor has died at 82.

Retired miner John Kitson, who represented Middlestone Moor ward on Spennymoor Town Council for 39 years before retiring in the late 1990s, died in hospital on Sunday.

During his long service he chaired all the council's major committees and served as mayor, also serving on Sedgefield District Council, where he was chairman of the planning committee.

In 1999, Mr Kitson was made an honorary alderman and awarded the Freedom of Spennymoor.

He was also welcomed to 10 Downing Street by Prime Minister Tony Blair in a delegation of veteran councillors to commemorate the centenery of the Labour Party.

Mr Kitson, a father of four daughters and a son, was married to the late Elizabeth.

He was a keen gardener and allotment holder and had been awarded life presidency of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners.

A funeral service will be held at St Paul's Church, Spennymoor, on Thursday, at 2pm, followed by interment in Rock Road Cemetery.