ONE of Huddersfield’s top cyclists has died.

Mr Brian Haskell, of Meltham, who was 83, had dominated the sport for more than half a century.

And the champion was honoured in 2002 when he received the prestigious C A Rhodes Memorial Trophy to mark his contributions to the sport.

Mr Haskell, who was born in Huddersfield in 1928, was brought up in Magdale. His father died when he was 12 and he moved to live with grandparents in Liverpool and later the Lake District before moving back to Honley.

He first began cycling as a teenager but then took it up as a sport in 1945 when he joined Holme Valley Wheelers.

He won the club’s 25 and 50-mile time trials in 1947.

He was then called up for National Service, joining the Army and serving in the Middle East. While he was out in Egypt he joined the Buckshee Wheelers, winning several awards with the forces.

In 1951 Mr Haskell joined the Huddersfield Road Club and immediately showed his prowess by winning the Galway to Dublin Road Race.

During the 1950s he rode the Warsaw to Prague race four times and won the King of the Mountains in 1959, a feat he repeated in the Tour of Britain. He also won the Tour of Ireland twice as well as countless regional and national titles.

Mr Haskell turned professional in 1957 and competed in the World Road Race Championships. He rode as an international for 10 years until 1961 but then had to wait until 1969 to be reinstated as an amateur.

Success continued to come his way, as it did when he reached the veterans’ category. He won the Yorkshire title 10 years in a row, from 1991 to 2000, and also won seven national championships.

He also won a series of time trial championships and was honoured by several cycling organisations.

Away from the world of cycling, Mr Haskell was a successful businessman.

He had trained as a sheet metal worker and in 1973 he was co-founder of Salamander Fabrications, which is still based in Slaithwaite.

He remained with the company up until his death and was still serving as company chairman.

His son Michael said: “Work, cycling and his family were the loves of his life.

“I remember all those family holidays we had when he would insist on having his bike either strapped to the back of the car or crammed inside.”

Mr Haskell leaves a widow, Kathleen, two children Janet and Michael, and three grandchildren, Zoe, Natasha and Maisie.

His funeral service takes place tomorrow at Huddersfield Crematorium at 2pm.