A WAR veteran and Royal British Legion stalwart who helped raise thousands of pounds for disabled ex-soldiers has lost his battle with cancer.

Tributes were paid yesterday to 81-year-old retired milkman Percy Readshaw, who died on Saturday.

Mr Readshaw and his wife, Emma, of Mill Street, Willington, celebrated 60 years of marriage last November.

As chairman of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, he helped to collect more than £2,000 for this year's Poppy Appeal, but was too ill to lay a wreath on Remembrance Sunday.

Mr Readshaw was born in Thorpe Thewles, near Sedgefield, and grew up at Greenhead, Crook.

He was called up at the start of the Second World War and married while on leave from the Guards Armoured Division of the Royal Engineers.

He was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940, and took part in the Normandy landings and the liberation of Brussels.

After the war he drove buses for Bonds and ran his own taxi business. In 1960 he and his wife set up a milk delivery business in Willington and Oakenshaw.

He was elected in 1973 as Independent councillor for Oakenshaw on the Crook and Willington Urban District Council.

He was a committee member of the Victoria Club and the Willington Masonic Lodge, and a patron of the town's Chrysanthemum Society. He also served as a special constable for 25 years.

Mr Readshaw's son, Michael, said: "He was one of nature's gentleman, a man of integrity who was liked and respected."

He leaves another son, Brian, daughters-in-law Wendy and Marilyn, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held tomorrow.