A FORMER British Airline captain who saved the lives of 213 passengers and restored some of the region's most important buildings has died at the age of 68.

Robin Alfred Rackham, who was born in South Shields and lived in Teesdale for more than 30 years, died peacefully in his sleep in Florida on Friday.

For many years, Captain Rackham combined his passion for flying with a role as the chairman of the Teesdale Building Preservation Trust.

His stepson, Aidan Turnbull, described him as "a highly professional aviator and fiercely independent man who championed the restoration of historic buildings in the North of England".

He is perhaps best known for his role in restoring the Grade II listed Lartington Hall, near Barnard Castle, to its former glory.

The hall had stood empty for six years following the death of its previous owner, Olive Field, but he and his wife Claire painstakingly revived it.

He also went on to save a number of other important buildings in the region.

But it was not just buildings that he saved. His distinguished airline career began in 1964 and in 1993, he saved the lives of more than 200 people. He was flying a Boeing 757 aircraft bound for Kos, in Greece, when he noticed abnormal vibration readings on one of his engines.

Despite reassurances from his crew, and protestations from his co-pilot, he declared an emergency and immediately diverted to Athens.

Analysis on the ground showed that 32 of the 36 engine bolts on the number two engine had fallen out during the flight. A mid-air disaster was only averted by his quick-thinking.

He was struck by cancer in 1995, which led to his retirement, and he wrote an autobiography called Defining Moment in 2002.

Councillor John Armstrong, who was father of Teesdale Parish Council when Captain Rackham joined in the late 1970s, said: "He was an excellent councillor.

"We had our differences but they were never personal. We always begged to differ once we left the council chamber.

"He called a spade a spade and feared no one. He was a very far-seeing man and did a lot of good work."