Mr Spencer died at Pendleside Hospice on Friday after a short illness.

Born in Skipton in 1931, and educated at St Stephen's School, he completed an apprenticeship as a plumber with Foster Horner in that town before completing his National Service with the Royal Engineers.

He played rugby for Skipton and was offered a professional contract with Warrington Rugby League Club during his time in the Army, but turned that down as he would have lost his amateur status and never been able to play rugby union again. He played for Skipton for many years, with a brief spell at Colne and Nelson.

When demobbed from the Army, he rejoined Foster Horner's, working there until 1954 when he started his own business, Derek Spencer Ltd plumbers and heating engineers in Barnoldswick.

He and his late wife, Joan, were married in 1952 and had two sons, David and Kevin.

Mr Spencer was a prominent member of Barnoldswick Urban District Council in the 1960s. He became chairman in 1970, and one of the highlights of his year in office was attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

He took part in a successful lobbying trip to London following the Rolls-Royce crash in 1971 and served on many committees, with a particular interest in education. He was a member of the West Craven Divisional Education Initiative and a governor at the then Barnoldswick Secondary Modern School.

Mr Spencer retired from plumbing in the early 1980s and took over the covered market in Skipton where he and his wife remained until retiring fully at the end of that decade.

A life member of Barnoldswick Conservative Club, he spent happy hours in his retirement playing dominoes.

Mr Spencer leaves his sons and four grandchildren, with another great-grandchild on the way.

Family flowers only have been requested, with any donations made in lieu of flowers to be donated to the hospice.