A plaque in memory of a Seaton man who served his village for half of his life has been unveiled.

John Clifford Hodgson, who was known as Cliff, served as a parish councillor for 43 years.

The plaque was unveiled on a bench near the village’s shops by the parish council.

His son Paul said: “I’m very proud of my dad and I really miss him. It’s nice that people can sit there and think of him.

“We grew up with dad going to the council meetings. He was always fighting somebody’s corner.

“He was passionate about the area and the village – it was his life.”

Mr Hodgson was a beck warden at Derwentwater and also worked as a gravedigger in the Workington area and as a wagon driver.

He had a flower shop in Seaton and also sold fruit and veg from a wagon on Friday evenings.

Mr Hodgson died last year after a long illness.

Paul said: “He had to have both of his legs amputated, he didn’t deserve it and my mum deserves a medal because she always cared for him.

“I was very proud of him and of all the time he put into the parish council.

“We always had someone at my house coming to talk to him about their problems.

“He dedicated his life to the village. He wasn’t paid for it and he didn’t have to do it.

“It’s nice that people now have something to remember him.”