A COUNCILLOR who devoted his spare time to checking standards in East Lancashire's police stations has died during a Christmas visit to his family.

Tributes were today paid to Hyndburn councillor John Wells, who died on Tuesday from a mystery illness in New Romney, Kent.

Coun Wells, 53, had travelled south to see family including his 80-year-old mother Hilda.

His daughter Emma Birtwistle said her father had been in reasonable health, but had come down with flu while he was in Kent.

She said: "He felt a bit poorly on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but apparently he was feeling better by Monday. He got up early on Tuesday and collapsed.

"A relative tried to revive him but he had died before the ambulance arrived.

"A lot of people will be very sad that he has gone. He did a lot of hard work for the council and was a very good dad."

Coun Wells moved to the Accrington area from his Crayford, Kent, in 1974 and was an active member of the Spring Hill Neighbourhood Watch.

A former delivery driver, he was elected as councillor for Milnshaw ward in Accrington in 1996 and was chief whip of the Labour group. He leaves a son Gavin, 28, and two daughters, Emma, 25, and Katy, 18. He had remained in touch with his former wife Erica, who is helping the family with arrangements.

Coun Wells, of St Leger Court, Accrington, was also well known for his role as a lay visitor to police stations in Lancashire's Eastern Division.

He and his visiting partner, Altham parish councillor Rennie Pinder, carried out more police station visits this year than any other lay visiting pair.

Labour group leader Coun Ken Curtis said: "John was a very conscientious man and will be sorely missed by those who knew him. He will be very hard to replace as a councillor and a lay police visitor because of the exceptional hard work he put in."

Maurice Cowell, chairman of Hyndburn Police and Community Forum and a former Labour councillor, said: "John's death has come as a bit of a shock to us all.He was a good family man, a good councillor and a good friend."

The family have not yet decided where the funeral will be, but plan to hold some sort of memorial service in East Lancashire.

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