A FORMER district councillor for Chipping Norton has died aged 72.

Patrick McHugh lived in the town for more than 30 years and was a well-known character in the area who held many different jobs in his time.

He served on the district council between 2008 and 2012.

Mr McHugh played the tuba in the Chipping Norton Silver Band and also took an interest in horse riding, as well as campaigning on behalf of Age Concern Chipping Norton, for which he served as vice-chairman.

Mr McHugh was born in Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, on September 17, 1941.

As a boy he originally studied to become a priest at Ushaw College and completed his school days at St Cuthbert’s Grammar School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

He finished his A-Levels in 1959 and, after spending time in Allendale, Northumberland, to gain required farming experience, attended Houghall Agricultural College, following an interest in farming he had kept up since he was a boy.

After leaving college he worked for West Cumberland Farmers as a representative, but then moved south to Chipping Norton. There he took the position of manager and worker around many farms in the area in the mid-1970s.

He went on to sell hydroponic equipment for gardening, before becoming the manager of his own antiques shop, Superjunk, on High Street, and later managing Station Mill Antiques.

In the late 1980s he took a job as caretaker at Chipping Norton Town Hall and around the same time he married Janet. The couple lived in New Street.

In the years to come, he made many friends in the town and he and his wife moved house to Lodge Terrace.

They had no children, but their nephew, Simon, often came to visit them during his holidays.

His wife died of cancer in 2001, but during those years he also took up playing the tuba, horse riding and began an interest in steam engines.

In 2008, he ran as a Conservative candidate for Chipping Norton on West Oxfordshire District Council and succeeded. He held the seat until 2012.

Mr McHugh died in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, on April 6, following a period of illness.

He is survived by his sister, Mary.

A funeral service was held on Tuesday at the Holy Trinity Church, Chipping Norton.