Tributes paid to 'gentle giant' David Dickinson from Hoghton who died aged 85

It comes after the funeral on Tuesday of the former deputy mayor and Chorley councillor from Hoghton who died on September 29.

His son Roger, 62, said: "He was very involved in the community and just wanted to make a difference.

"Everything he did he always tried to help people. That was just how he lived and the rest of the time he was with his grandkids.

"He was a magic man."

Leader of the Conservative group at Chorley Council Alan Cullens – a good friend of David’s for many years – said: “He was a large man in both character and size. He was liked by everyone and he will be sorely missed.”

David was a Conservative councillor who represented the Brindle and Hoghton ward from 2000 to 2016 and in 2015/16 he served as deputy mayor.

However due to ill health he had to step down in 2015 and he was unable to continue into the role of mayor.

His granddaughter Lydia Dickinson who stood alongside him as deputy mayoress gave a speech at his funeral on Tuesday, October 10 at Holy Trinity Parish Church.

Chorley councillor Sheila Long said: “His granddaughter gave a wonderful eulogy. She talked about a time when he was farming and a bull was causing problems. He just went up to this bull and gave it a bop on the nose.

"He was a very very big tall man, a gentle giant. He was a very active councillor and was very well-liked and well-respected in the community and within the council.”

In his youth David swam for England and was an international water polo referee. After finishing at Lancaster Grammar School he went into farming and also worked in waste paper salvage before he became a chief land buyer for house builder Barratt Developments.

Latterly, because of an illness, David moved to Great Eccleston to live in a rest home owned by his son Simon , 61. He eventually died in his sleep after being unable to fight of an infection of Cellulitis.

David’s wife Ann died about in 2012. He is buried with her at the graveyard at Holy Trinity Parish Church. They had two sons Roger and Simon, five grandchildren and one great granddaughter.