LORD Hanson, one of Huddersfield's most famous sons, has died.

The Edgerton-born peer - who became one of Britain's top industrial tycoons - lost his battle with cancer yesterday.

He was 82 and died at his home in Newbury, Berkshire, with one of his sons, Robert, at his side.

It was the second cancer tragedy to hit the family this year.

Hanson's American-born wife of 45 years, Geraldine, died in February from leukaemia.

Born in Huddersfield in 1922, James Hanson was highly-regarded by politicians and by industrialists on both sides of the Atlantic.

He rose from a post within his family transport business - still based in Huddersfield - to become one of the world's most successful businessmen. A flag was flying at half-mast there today.

Together with another Yorkshireman, Gordon White, Hanson set up the company that bore his name in 1964.

They prospered through the 1960s and 1970s and they rose to become a global organisation worth more than £10bn.

Away from business, Hanson was regarded as one of the leading lights of English society and was rarely very far from the pages of the newspapers.

He was once engaged, albeit briefly, to actress Audrey Hepburn and was linked with other beauties.

But he fell in love with American Geraldine Kaelin and the couple married in 1959.

He was made a life peer in 1983 and was regarded as a staunch supporter of Margaret Thatcher.

He served in the Lords as a Conservative back-bencher.

Hanson officially retired in 1997 but still worked several days a week, often from his wood-panelled offices in a London block overlooking Hyde Park.

He and his wife divided their time between their homes in Newbury and Palm Springs, California.

It was there that Lady Hanson died and also where she and her husband had set up a trust fund to help local hospitals.

Hanson leaves two sons, Robert and Brook, and a step-daughter Karyn.

Tributes were made today to the "enormously distinguished" Hanson.

Industrialist Lord Young of Graffham, a Trade and Industry Secretary in Margaret Thatcher's administration, described Lord Hanson today as "a giant of his time".

"Of course he had critics, because he had strong political views. He was very much against the idea of nationalisation and one of Margaret Thatcher's earliest supporters."

Tory Party leader Michael Howard said Lord Hanson would be greatly missed.

Mr Howard said: "James Hanson will be remembered as one of the great British industrialists of recent times who played a leading role in the economic regeneration of Britain."