The founder of a Scout group in Wantage has died, aged 94.

James Farrington, known as Fram, lived in Wantage for more than 40 years before returning to Northern Ireland in 1989 to be near to his son.

Mr Farrington was a founder of the Third King Alfred (Wantage) Scout Group, helping to build its headquarters in Letcombe Fields.

He later became group scoutmaster, serving in the King Alfred Scout District Executive. He also founded the Stuart Rae Challenge expedition in memory of a former Scout and Royal Marine captain.

Educated in Northern Ireland and Leeds, Mr Farrington qualified as a marine radio operator and joined the British Merchant Navy.

In 1943 he took part in a secret wartime expedition, codenamed Operation Tabarin, to safeguard British interests south of the Falkland Islands. He spent the next two-and-a-half years in the Antarctic and in the South Shetlands, setting up communications bases. He was one of the last men to receive the Bronze Polar Medal with Antarctic clasp for his duties.

Between 1948 and 1975, Mr Farrington worked at the Atomic Energy Research Authority in Harwell.

He was supported in his Scouting activities by his late wife Eileen.

Friend and former member of the Scouting district executive Jack Loftin said: "Probably because of his training and his experience in the Antarctic where anything slipshod could have fatal consequences for everyone, Fram was meticulous in his planning, organisation and the execution of everything in which he was involved. He set high standards in his scouting, led by example and deserved the scouting awards he received."