FORMER firefighter, ambulanceman, teacher, businessman, and former Mayor of Didcot Terry Joslin has died aged 76.

Tributes have been paid to Mr Joslin – who was Didcot born and bred – and died on Sunday.

Mr Joslin passed away in the Geoffrey Harris Ward at the Churchill in Hospital in Headington at about 3am.

He was admitted to hospital on Thursday with breathing difficulties, but the cause of death is not yet known.

Wife Joan, 72, said he was in a great mood when she visited him at hospital on Saturday afternoon following Oxford United’s 3-0 win at the Kassam Stadium over Morecambe.

She said: “None of us knew it was going to be that bad because it just happened, he suddenly went downhill. It was a shock”

The dad-of-four, granddad of 17 and great-granddad of four lived with most of his family in Oxford Crescent.

The Labour stalwart served Didcot on the town, district and county council.

Mr Joslin met his wife Joan – née Huckvale – at a youth club at All Saints Church, and the couple married in 1960 before moving into their home in Oxford Crescent.

Mrs Joslin added: “He was born here and spent his whole life fighting for Didcot, for the shopping centre development, the Cornerstone Arts Centre.

“He was a wonderful husband and loved the fact that he had his family all around him.”

In a statement, his grandchildren said: “He truly was one inspirational man, he was always happy and positive going out of his way to help everyone out.

“I know he would want everyone to be happy and remember the memories we shared with him.

“He will be loved and missed by us all but never forgotten.”

Mr Joslin was a Didcot town councillor from 1992 until 2003 and 2011 until last year, Mayor of Didcot from 2000 to 2001, an Oxfordshire county councillor from 1993 until 2009, on South Oxfordshire District Council in two stints, and vice-chairman of the Oxfordshire Labour group in 1999.

Fellow county councillor representing Didcot, Neville Harris, worked alongside him for 12 years.

He said: “Terry was a very energetic and hard working councillor on behalf of all the things he believed in.

“He was Didcot born and bred and passionate about Didcot and what he thought was good for it.

“But overall he was a wonderful family man and the thoughts of everyone who knew him will be with his family at this very sad time.”

Mr Joslin leaves wife Joan, 72, daughters Karen Farington, 52, Helen Joslin, 48, Wendy Dixon, 43, and son Shaun Joslin, 50, as well as 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.