A brother of one of the Yorkshire Ripper’s victims has died aged just 52.

David ‘Tikka’ Whitaker, landlord of The Star, Lindwell, Greetland, died at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and was the brother of Josephine Whitaker.

Lorry driver Peter Sutcliffe was convicted of killing 13 women and seven attempted murders between 1975 and 1981 when he brought terror to the north of England.

He killed 19-year-old bank clerk Josephine in an horrific attack on April 4, 1979, in Savile Park, Halifax.

Yorkshire Ripper victim Josephine Whitaker who was killed on April 4, 1979, in Savile Park, Halifax.

Carol Vickers, a former Yorkshire Bank employee who has been landlady at The Star for 27 years, said Mr Whitaker had been poorly for a while and suffered from a breathing disorder and emphysema.

“He was not very well over Christmas,” she said. “He had a seizure over the New Year and then some more.”

She added: “I came to The Star in 1990 with my husband, Brian Vickers.

“He died in 2000 from a heart attack and David, (known universally from an early age as Tikka), was a customer.

“We ended up as business and life partners and I have some lovely memories of our time together. We got on very well.

“He liked a pint or two! He used to enjoy a drink in the Spring Rock at Greetland.

“He was a Liverpool FC fan and a passionate gardener - there was always a fantastic display of flowers at the pub and we had an allotment. If you could grow it we did!

“He was known as Tikka all his life and that is what he answered to, apart from his mother Avril, who is still with us, and myself who called him Dave.”

David worked in the construction industry for most of his life before getting involved in the pub trade.

He has a brother, Michael, who is landlord of the Standard of Freedom at Skircoat Green, Halifax.

David’s funeral will be held on Wednesday, January 31, at Parkwood Crematorium, Elland, at 9.45am.