TRIBUTES have been paid to a war veteran, who dodged bullets on his motorbike while working as a despatch rider during the Second World War.

Former Desert Rat Edward Hughes, 91, from Spennymoor, died of septicaemia last month.

Mr Hughes was known to many people in his home town as a window cleaner of 40 years, and later as caretaker at Bessemer Park Infant School.

When he was called up during the Second World War, he took on the dangerous role of despatch rider.

His son-in-law, Bill Cairns, of Bryan Street, Spennymoor, said the Army veteran was typically modest of his service in Africa and Italy.

He said: "He didn't talk a lot about it. He did once tell me where he served, but I can't remember now. I said, 'you would have been a Desert Rat' and he just said, 'yes, with millions more'.

"He was a despatch rider. He always loved the motorbikes and must have carried on when he was in the Army. He said he got fired at a number of times on his bike and could hear the bullets whizzing past his ears. They would always try to shoot the despatch riders so they could intercept letters."

Mr Hughes leaves a wife, Jenny, who lives at Moor Grange Home for the Elderly, Spennymoor.

He was buried at York Hill Cemetery in the town.