A TIRELESS volunteer who has died aged 69 showed “absolute commitment” to serving Witney and its communities.

Rod Attewell, the two-time former president of the Witney Lions Club, died on September 4 after collapsing at a social event the night before.

It is understood that he was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital but died in the early hours.

The father-of-two, a former special constable and radio networks manager of Thames Valley Police who served with the force for more than 20 years, will have a guard of honour from the Witney Lions at his funeral later this month.

He had only joined the Witney Lions six years ago, but was renowned among volunteer groups for helping to raise thousands of pounds for charity and for his enthusiastic involvement in organising several town events, including the Christmas lights switch-on and the Witney Carnival.

Witney Lions Club secretary Peter Claxton led tributes to Mr Attewell, who he described as “the light of our club” who had absolute commitment to the town.

Mr Claxton added: “Rod was friendly and cheerful and would do anything for anyone.

“He would always step in to help and was always the first to volunteer. He was a jolly decent chap.”

Aston resident Mr Attewell was president of the Lions Club for two years, as well as also being its recruitment and publicity officer and the architect of its website.

His career was with Thames Valley Police, where he worked for the ICT department as a radio networks manager until his retirement in 2006.

He became a special constable in Abingdon in 1987 and transferred to Carterton in 2006, when he performed an average of 30 hours operational duty per month and received the Queen’s long service medal in March 2007 from then Chief Constable Sarah Thornton. He retired as a special constable in 2009.

Mr Attewell was also involved in advising the Irish police service, the Garda Siochana, when it set up its own special constabulary, the Garda Reserve.

Chief Officer Mark Hinks, of the Special Constabulary, said: “On behalf of the force, I’d like to offer my condolences to Rod Attewell’s family and friends.

“He will be sadly missed by all those who knew and worked with him as part of the police family.”

Rod Attewell was born in Leicester on June 25, 1946, to parents Cyril and Mabel.

He grew up there and left school aged 15 to take an apprenticeship with a television repair company.

Mr Attewell married his first wife Lyn and adopted her son Carl, now 48, and they had one son together, Michael, in 1976.

The family moved to Abingdon during the 1980s and Mr Attewell later took a job with Thames Valley Police in radio communications.

He separated from his wife in 2004 and the next year married his second wife, Jill. Together the couple enjoyed keeping fit, DIY work at home and holidays in Australia, Dubai and Poland.

They moved to Southmoor, near Kingston Bagpuize, in 2004 and then later Aston, near Bampton, in 2006 when Mr Attewell retired.

Mr Attewell is survived by his wife Jill, his sons and one grandson, Coby, aged six, and brother Brian, His funeral is due to take place on Monday, September 28, at South Oxfordshire Crematorium, in Garford, off the A338. It will start at 2pm. All those who knew Mr Attewell are welcome to attend.