The founding father of the Liberal Democrat party in Preston has died at the age of 80.

Former mayor Ron Marshall died of pneumonia in the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Shropshire, after suffering a number of strokes.

Mr Marshall was first elected to Preston council in 1976 for Ingol, a position he retained until 2003 when he stood down from politics.

In 1982 he became the first post-war leader of Liberals in Preston when a second member of the party was elected to the council. The Liberals became the Liberal Democrats in 1988.

Slowly Mr Marshall built up the party, today it has 11 councillors on Preston City Council. In 1996 he stood down as leader to become the city's first Liberal Democrat mayor.

He temporarily became leader again following the resignation of disgraced former councillor Bill Chadwick in 2002. Before entering politics Mr Marshall was a minister at the Methodist Church, Lune Street, Preston. He gave up the ministry to become a teacher and was eventually made vice principal of Glovers Court College, formerly part of Preston College.

Former Lib Dem leader on Preston Council, councillor Alan Hackett, led the tributes. He said: "His influence on the council was considerable, he was the founding father of the Liberal Democrats in Preston."

Mr Marshall and his wife Margaret, moved to Ludlow in Shropshire in 2004, and last year celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

In March 2005 Mr Marshall suffered a stroke and never left hospital. He died on December 22 with his family at his bedside. He leaves wife, Margaret, 70, daughters Rebekah and Kirstie, and six grandchildren.

His funeral will be held at the Parish Church of St Laurence, Ludlow, on Monday, January 9, at 1pm.