Tributes have been paid  following the death of a former mayor of Oswestry.

George Edward Bickley Pritchard was heavily involved in a number of organisations in the town, including the Royal British Legion – for which he served as president and county president – the Oswestry Senior Citizens’ Club, of which he was a founding member, and was the Oswestry Boys’ and Girls’ Football Club.

He died on September 20 at the age of 94.

Leading the tributes, his daughter Adele Field, said her father’s life was “one of servitude”.

She said: “He was a character with a wicked sense of humour.

“He was always willing to help someone – his sense of citizenship was always there.”

Mr Pritchard was born in Castle Douglas in Scotland and grew up in and around Oswestry before joining the Grenadier Guards at the age of 15. He saw action in North Africa, Palestine and Italy, among countless other countries during the Second World War.

But an injury sustained when a mine blew up in Florence brought him back to the-then Gobowen Hospital where he met Audrey, who was a medical secretary, and they married in 1949.

The family travelled to Germany where he worked for the Army, before moving back to the UK, eventually settling in Shropshire where he bought and ran Whittington Stores with Audrey. He also worked as a rating officer for the council in Oswestry, was clerk of Whittington Parish Council and worked for Norman R Lloyd until he retired.

Mr Pritchard remained involved with the Grenadier Guards Association, was a vice-president and the oldest member in Shropshire. He still took part in their events until recently and was also heavily involved in the Royal British Legion, organising the annual Remembrance Day events.

In 1983 he became a councillor on Oswestry Town Council and enjoyed a year as mayor with Audrey by his side as mayoress in 1991/92. He was also involved in a number of committees, including the Youth Music Festival, and was a councillor on the former Oswestry Borough Council.

He was also a keen sportsman, taking up golf which he played with a handicap of nine, and playing football and athletics.

Mr Pritchard leaves his wife Audrey, daughter Adele, son-in-law Mark and grandson Alexander.

His funeral will take place at St Giles Church in Shrewsbury on Tuesday, October 10 at midday, followed by a service at Emstrey Crematorium in Shrewsbury at 1.15pm.