LONG-SERVING district and parish councillor Philip Naylor has died aged 62.

Mr Naylor, an engineering consultant, was elected to Denby Dale Parish Council in 1983 and to Kirklees Metropolitan Council in 1987, where he served as Conservative leader from 1992 until 1995, when he stepped down.

He continued to work on Denby Dale Parish Council where he was well-liked and respected across the political spectrum.

Current Denby Dale chairman Clr Tony Barlow said: "I regarded him as a fine human being and a true friend to all who met him.

"He had humour, humility and a dogged determination to follow what he felt was the right course on many local issues."

Mr Naylor, who was born near Barnsley and was a pupil of Barnley's Holgate Grammar, started work at North Gawber Colliery in 1960 as an apprentice mining engineer.

After spells at various mines he worked in the 1970s as a British Rail technical officer, but then returned to mining engineering in 1985.

He stepped down from the parish council in 2003 but remained involved in the community.

He was the current chairman of the Denby Dale Parish Road Safety Committee and campaigned with protest group Residents Against Windfarms, opposing the plans to build wind turbines in the area.

He was a member of the Denby Dale Lions charity organisation and was one of the organisers of the annual Denby Dale and Upper Cumberworth Senior Citizens' Gathering.

He had a keen interest in education and was chairman of Gilthwaites School Association and a governor and chairman of governors at Scissett Middle School in the 1980s and 90s.

Mr Naylor leaves a wife, Cynthia, two children, Jonathan and Rebecca, and three grandchildren.

A service will be held at St John's Parish Church, Upper Denby at 2.30pm tomorrow.