ONE of the country’s leading authorities on tuberculosis has died at the age of 68.

Prof L. Peter Ormerod was given the task of tackling TB rates at Blackburn Royal Infirmary, the fourth worst in the UK, when he arrived in 1980.

His efforts not only successfully improved East Lancashire’s TB rates but later saw him appointed to a national committee and was awarded a medal by the British Thoracic Society for his contributions to respiratory medicine.

The professor, who lived in Helmshore, became involved in medicine after his own childhood TB experiences.

He said: “I remember vividly the painful injections I had to have for three months, accompanied by unpleasant tablets for a year.

“I would hide behind the curtain when the nurse came to give my daily injections.”

New drugs reduced the treatment period for lung TB to six months, halving adult rates and childhood TB was addressed through skin tests and preventative medication.

He was made a Professor of Medicine by UCLan in 2000 and Manchester University in 2011 and later received the Weber-Parkes Prize by the Royal College of Physicians. Before he retired he had 100-plus scientific papers and book chapter to his name.

Educated at Tunstead Primary and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar, he graduated from Manchester University and later trained in Birmingham, arriving at the former BRI, as a chest consultant, aged 29.

Away from medicine he was keen on cricket and military history and played for Rossendale Valley Sounds band.

He leaves a wife, Pauline, son Adam, daughter Heather and four grandchildren, Ethan, Austin, Wilf and Martha.

His funeral will be held at Burnley Crematorium on Tuesday, February 19, from noon. Donations are being sought to the MND Association via Knights and Boys Funeral Services.