A MAN who served in the police in Huddersfield for 25 years has died.

Ironically, former police sergeant Ralph Clifford Sykes received a bravery award on the day he retired.

Sgt Sykes was honoured in August 1976 for his attempts to try and save the life of a young girl, who had fallen into a mill dam in Milnsbridge.

Sadly, she died in hospital later.

Mr Sykes has died at the age of 85. He was born in Wellington Street, Lindley, and went to school in Moldgreen.

After leaving school he began work at the former Hopkinsons plant in Birkby as an engineer before being called up for National Service with the Army in 1944.

He joined the East Yorkshire Regiment and saw service in Germany, Egypt and Palestine.

He returned to Huddersfield and began working as a fireman on the local railway service.

But he realised cutbacks were under way and in 1951 he enlisted in the Huddersfield Borough Police and remained for 25 years.

He was promoted to sergeant in 1972.

Mr Sykes later worked as a maintenance engineer at Thornton and Ross, in Linthwaite, before retiring at the age of 62.

He married Mildred in 1952 but became a widower in 2005.

The couple had three sons, Alan, Graham and Stephen, and four grandchildren, Richard, Martin, Christopher and Elizabeth.

Mr Sykes was a keen sports fan and at one time was, proudly, the oldest dual season ticket holder, following Huddersfield Town and the Giants.

He was also keen on astronomy.

A funeral service was held at Huddersfield Crematorium.