A COMMUNITY leader has been tragically killed in a cycling accident.

Trevor Lever, 70, was financial director and deputy chairman of a community centre near Brighouse.

But the businessman died after a midnight cycling accident last week.

Councillors have paid tribute to him as the community rallied round his family, including wife Doreen.

The Bailiff Bridge Community Centre, which he was heavily involved in, cancelled last Friday’s Christmas lights switch-on as a result of the tragedy. It will take place at a later date.

Police are still piecing together the circumstances of the accident, but they say Mr Lever was travelling with a group of other cyclists along the A58 Godley Lane and was at Stump Cross, around 100m from the Undercliffe Service Station, when he lost control of his bicycle, falling and sustaining serious head injuries.

He was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary but Mr Lever sadly died of his injuries.

Clrs Graham Hall and David Kirton both paid tribute to Mr Lever.

Clr Hall said: “Trevor and wife Doreen were very well respected in the community They’re always involved in helping at community events and what has happened is a big shock.

“Trevor was deputy chair of the community association and they are all devastated by what’s happened.

“It is very, very sad. It’s early days still but I’m sure the community will want to pay their respects to him in some way in the future.”

Clr David Kirton added: “He was a much respected member of the community; it’s a real tragedy.

“He was such an active man, he was always willing to help and always gave Clr Hall and myself ideas for the community.

“He’ll be very much missed He worked very closely with Malcolm Silkstone, chair of the association, and they did a lot for the village.”

Just two months ago Mr Lever and the team at Bailiff Bridge Community Centre raised thousands in a beer festival in conjunction with the Brighouse pub the Old Ship Inn.

It raised money for Huddersfield’s the Forget Me Not Trust Children’s Hospice and Overgate Hospice, based in Elland.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident to contact the Major Collision Enquiry Team on 101.