THE funeral was due to take place today of former Blackburn borough engineer Dennis Clark.

Mr Clark, who leaves his wife Joy, daughters Christine and Shirley, four grandchildren and a great-grandson, held a number of senior positions with Blackburn County Borough Council until his retirement in 1981.

Following war service, he worked for the City of Manchester and for the County Borough of Bolton, where in 1967 he became Deputy Borough Engineer.

In 1969 he joined Blackburn County Borough Council as Borough Engineer. In 1974 he became Director of Public Services for the council.

He contributed greatly to the development of the town and in the early 1970's made a major input to the development of the shopping centre. The development of the industrial estate at Whitebirk owes much to his work.

Mr Clark was responsible for the completion of the Smith Fold Sewage Treatment Works at Samlesbury. He also instigated the programme of replacing almost the whole of the Trunk Sewer network for Blackburn and Darwen.

Mr Clark was a Chartered Civil Engineer who achieved membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers and of the Institution of Municipal Engineers in 1949. He was made a Fellow of those institutions. in 1971 and 1967. respectively.

Hebecome National President of the Institution of Municipal Engineers in 1979 and was able to promote the development of the engineering profession at a national and international level.

To mark this, the council was presented with a Silver Salver which is displayed in the Mayor's Parlour in Blackburn Town Hall.

Mr Clark, who continued to live in the town until his death, was also very prominent in local Masonic circles.