John Cooper, chairman of the Oxfordshire Woodturners' Club, has died, aged 65.

Mr Cooper, of Elm Tree Close, Littlemore, Oxford, died after suffering a heart attack while visiting a woodturners' convention at the National Exhibition Centre, Birm- ingham.

He was born in Lambeth, London, and was fostered by a family in Brighton.

He joined the Army and played the cornet with an Army band during his time with the Royal Army Medical Corps.

After leaving the Army at the age of 22, he moved to Oxford and became a factory worker at Morris Motors, Cowley, continuing to play cornet with the company band.

Soon after settling in Oxford he met his future wife Jackie Yale at a party. They were married in the city in March, 1962.

Mr Cooper later became a photographer for Morris Motors. After being made redundant, he forged a career in woodturning and became well known in the industry.

Mrs Cooper said: "He loved going to craft fairs and making anything that was round. He later went to work on furniture and created things like ends for banisters and staircases. It was originally a hobby, but it became a passion and a full-time job."

Mr Cooper also leaves a daughter, Julie Brown.