A FORMER county councillor and parish councillor of 50 years' standing has died at the age of 93.

Robert Close, who served the village of Pittington, near Durham City before retiring from politics at the age of 89, died peacefully on Friday.

He began his working life at Hazard pit, in Hetton, when he was 14, and worked in collieries for several years, before becoming a bus driver, and ran his own company, Close's Coaches, from 1947 to 1968.

Mr Close, who lived in Pittington for most of his life, was a founder member and chairman of Pittington Chapman's Charity.

He formed the first Pittington branch of the International Organisation of Good Templars, and was a governor of Pittington, Rainton and Belmont secondary schools.

Mr Close was a fit man who enjoyed the countryside and, as a councillor, fought for the preservation of rights of way.

He drove a car until the age of 90. One of his proudest achievements was spearheading a change in legislation to make residents of flats and bedsits eligible for council houses.

On his retirement from politics, he was presented with a diploma.

Mr Close was widowed six years ago with the death of his wife, Ellen.

He leaves a daughter, Maureen, grandchildren, Grant and Glenn, and great grandchildren, Faye, 12, and Gareth, nine.

A funeral service will be held in St John's Methodist Church, Pittington, tomorrow at 3pm.