THE funeral takes place tomorrow of a long-established North-East lawyer who served as a coroner for a quarter of a century.

John Heron, a bachelor of law and an OBE recipient, died last Saturday at the age of 83.

Well-known in many professional, voluntary and recreational circles in the Durham area, he was a practising solicitor in the city for 37 years until retirement in 1986.

In the same year he also stood down after 25 years as North Durham coroner.

Born and educated in Durham, Mr Heron, a city club rugby player, qualified in Newcastle in 1937, before being articled to the Bishop Auckland firm of Brown Humes.

During the Second World War he worked in the Judge Advocates' Department, in Brussels and later Hamburg, during the allied offensive.

In peacetime he set up his own practice, LJ Heron and Company, in Claypath, Durham, in April 1949, subsequently moving into the Market Place, and opening a second branch in Chester-le-Street.

He was awarded the OBE in 1978, and in retirement served as a member of Durham University council and as governor of three of its colleges.

Recently, he founded the North-East Retired Solicitors' Association and chaired Durham Probus Club until his death.

Mr Heron lived at Herwood House, Croxdale, near Durham, where he and his wife of 51 years, Muriel, opened their gardens to the public each year.

More recently they moved to High Shincliffe, on the outskirts of the city.

Mr Heron is survived by Muriel, daughters Christine and Patricia, and four grandchildren.

The private family funeral service is at St Edmund's Church, Edmundbyers, tomorrow, but friends are invited to a Durham Crematorium committal service at 3.30pm.