TRIBUTES have been paid to Pendle's first Liberal Mayor, Fred Melling, whose funeral will be held in Colne on Tuesday.

Mr Melling died on New Year's Eve, less than a month after the death of his wife Kathleen who was also a Liberal councillor.

Council leader Alan Davies said the death of Mr Melling, 78, of Peel Gardens Nursing Home, Vivary Way, Colne, was another irreplaceable loss to the community.

"Apart from his war service and time as a student, Fred Melling lived all his life in Colne," said Coun Davies.

"He devoted his life to serving the town and its people, as a much loved and respected teacher, in his public service as a councillor, and in many local community organisations in the town.

"Fred was truly a public-spirited citizen of the old kind. Our thoughts now are with their family, to which Fred and Kath gave so much." Mr Melling was a life-long Liberal who helped reform the party in Colne. He and his wife took part in the Liberal resurgence in the early 1970s and Mr Melling was elected to the newly-formed Pendle Council in 1973.

The couple represented Horsfield ward, Colne, between 1973-76 and 1979-86, and Mr Melling also represented the town on Lancashire County Council for four years in the 1980s.

In 1982 he became the first Colne councillor and first Liberal to hold the office of Mayor of Pendle.

Mr Melling served on the former Burnley and Pendle Joint Transport Committee and was a strong advocate of the local "town service" minibuses for many years before they were introduced.

He went to Colne Grammar School and during the war served with the RAF flying in Mosquito fighter-bombers. It is understood he holds the record for the lowest baling out from that kind of aircraft.

"Fred was actually quite a war hero though he was too modest to admit it," said Coun Davies.

After the war he returned to Colne to teach at Lord Street Primary School where he rose to deputy head before retiring to become Mayor.

The new housing development on the former school field at Cragg Street was named Melling Court in his honour.

Mr Melling's funeral will be held at 11am at Sacred Heart RC Church, Colne. His wife's funeral was held at the church following her death on December 4.

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