KENNY Craddock, a former member of North-East rock legends Lindisfarne, has died in a road accident in Portugal.

Mr Craddock, 52, was a member of the Newcastle band between 1973 and 1975.

The line-up was formed following the break-up of the original chart-topping group.

Mr Craddock was a long-time collaborator with Lindisfarne main man Alan Hull, who died of a heart attack in 1995.

He appeared on the singer-songwriter's 1973 debut solo album Pipedream and Squire.

Mr Craddock was re-united with Lindisfarne in the early 1990s, producing the album Elvis Lives on the Moon, the band's last record before Alan Hull's death.

His career included a long association with Billy Bragg, a spell as musical director for Van Morrison, and work with former Beatles Ringo Starr and George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker.

The Gateshead-born instrumentalist and singer, who specialised in the keyboards, had lived for many years on the South Coast but moved near the Portugese capital Lisbon with his partner, Julia, and set up a recording studio.

Rod Clements, an original member of Lindisfarne, said: "He was, above all, a gentle man with a twinkling sense of humour and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him."

Mr Craddock was working on his first solo album and Mr Clements said: "It is an unspeakable tragedy that his life has been cut short just when he was about to realise his dream.''