STAFF and students at Huddersfield University have said farewell to law tutor Tim Wolstencroft.

He was instrumental in establishing the institution's first law degree more than 30 years ago.

Tim, who lives in Wakefield, joined what was then Huddersfield Polytechnic in 1970.

At the time, the institution's business faculty had one degree programme - in textile marketing - alongside a business studies HND and several part-time courses. The Polytechnic had no dedicated law courses at that time.

In his early years, Tim, a Durham graduate, played a major role in developing new degree courses, initially involved in the growth of BA business studies and then, in 1980, establishing the LLB law degree programme in the new law department.

He went on to develop the law masters programme, the LLM, a distance learning course which attracts students from many parts of the country and the world.

His most recent contribution was the work he carried out with West Yorkshire Police, developing the new Police Studies Foundation Degree.

He played the main role in setting up the law students' alumni society and people who graduated many years ago are still in regular contact with him.

Prof David Smith, former dean of the university's business school: "To many colleagues, he has always been an invaluable mentor and source of ideas on teaching innovation.

"Walking around the campus with Tim, you cannot fail to be impressed by the number of students who come to talk to him.

"In every case, he knows their name and a great deal about them."