Fred Beer, the only person to be Oxfordshire president on two occasions in the last 70 years, has died aged 84.

Beer, of Broughton Road, Banbury, held the county presidency in 1975 and 1988.

He was a former manager of Oxfordshire’s Middleton Cup team as well as a past county match secretary.

Beer was also a member of the England Bowling Association’s National Championships tournament committee, and was made a honorary life member in 1996, the year after he had been chairman of the Home Counties Association.

He started playing bowls when he was 17 and joined Banbury Borough in 1948, before moving to Banbury Chestnuts in 1957.

His successes included winning the Oxfordshire pairs in 1958, and the triples in 1963, 1965 and 1971 when his trio went on to reach the national final.

He also won Oxfordshire’s Officers Cup in 1969 Beer had trials for England in 1959, 1960 and 1965 and was a reserve in 1966.

He was a butcher, before working in the canteen at Alcan’s aluminium factory in Banbury for 35 years – 20 of them as manager.

He leaves a widow Beryl, son Paul and daughter Christine, five grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at St Paul’s Church, Warwick Road, Banbury, next Wednesday (3pm).