Former Aspatria mayor and town stalwart Dick Dawson has died.

Mr Dawson was a town councillor for 23 years, served as mayor and, even when he finally retired from council he continued to support and help whenever he was required.

He was a member and former chairman of the Aspatria Rugby League Club and a co-founder, with Colin Ainsworth, of the town’s Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

To many in the town, however, he was the man who raised thousands of pounds for charities – and few who needed help were ever turned down.

He held charity nights raising money for major cancer charities, local schools and churches, everything from large national organisations to the local pigeon fanciers.

Mr Dawson was remorseless in his fight to save the Park Lodge nursing home.

He also campaigned, equally tirelessly, to ensure that the Queen Street car park remained open to lorries overnight.

He received two certificates of merit from the town council for his work in and around Aspatria.

Mr Dawson, who was born and bred in the town, was the local coalman and milkman.

He was on the bowsers when the M6 was built and had a string of other jobs, mainly driving, but including working at the Bata shoe factory in Maryport.

It was in Maryport that he met his wife Kath, of Plumbland.

The couple shared a common history in Maryport with a courtship that started in the Palace Ballroom.

He suffered from non-Hodgkin lymphoma 30 years ago, which started his fundraising for cancer charities.

In recent years he was diagnosed with cancer again and had half a lung removed.

The non-Hodgkin lymphoma returned and he died last month after a short battle with the disease.

Mr Dawson is survived by Mrs Dawson, their children Les and Tony, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.