Wallingford town councillor John Beeton has been found dead in his flat.

Mr Beeton, 52, pictured, was known throughout the town as Sailor John as he had been a merchant seaman for most of his life before moving to BMW at Cowley.

He had missed a meeting of the RAOB -the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes - on Wednesday evening and friends went round to his flat in Borough Avenue where he lived alone. He is thought to have been dead for two days.

Mr Beeton was noted for organising the town's Blues and Beer Festival which raises money for charity and for charity work with other organisations. A post mortem examination will be held to find the cause of death.

Wallingford mayor Nigel Moor said: "John was a big man with a big appetite and enthusiasm for the town and everything to do with it. He is a big loss to Wallingford."

The flag on the town hall was flown at half mast yesterday.

The funeral will take place on Thursday in the South Chapel at Reading Crematorium at 3pm. There will be family flowers only but donations may be sent to the Royal National Lifeboats Institution via Cyril H Lovegrove, 58 Briants Avenue, Caversham, Reading.