Tributes have been paid to one of the oldest former pupils of a well-known Blackburn school.

Donald Barnes died on February 9, at the age of 102. He was a former pupil at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School (QEGS) from 1930 to 1936.

Mr Barnes was stationed in North Africa during World War Two and served in the same Squadron as later Secretary of State for War, John Profumo.

A message from QEGS read: “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of one of our oldest Old Boys, Donald Barnes, who passed away on 9 Feb at the age of 102. Donald was a pupil at QEGS from 1930 to 1936.

“After leaving QEGS Donald went on to serve in North Africa, France and Italy with the RAF as a wireless operator. He joined Crown Paints (then Walpumur) after the war, where he continued his career until his retirement in 1981.

“Donald was delighted to return to QEGS to share his memories of his schooldays a few years ago.”

Mr Barnes was also president of the Blackburn Artist Society, where he has been a member for more than 50 years.

When he turned 100 he reprinted 100 copies of his book, “Oh no not another.” The book, which was first published in 2007 was updated and reprinted to cover the years up to 2020, recounting his travels and 5 and a half years as a wireless operator in the RAF.

Donald kindly offered to donate £2.50 to East Lancashire Hospice for each copy sold.

In 2021, the hospice shared some background to his remarkable life and coincidental meetings and incidents.

Mr Donald served on the same 241 Army Co-operation Squadron as John Profumo but when the squadron moved abroad in the Torch invasion of North Africa, they became separated. It was many months later when Donald was ‘thumbing’ a lift on the road to Tunis, when a large staff car bearing a 3-star pennant on the radiator, pulled up for him.

Inside was John Profumo. He said he had recognised Donald but had forgotten his name. The 12-mile journey into Tunis ended with a handshake, a salute, good luck Sir and that was the last they saw of each other.

Another time, when he was in signals contact with another airfield 40 or 50 miles away in the middle of Tunisia, he discovered that the operator at the other hand end had the initials EVA. The boy who had sat next to him at school had the same initials - so he questioned him, and he confirmed that he was in fact Eric Victor Aspden.

Donald’s wife, Ida, died in 2006 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s so after 10 years without a break he decided to take a holiday cruise. It was there that he met a Finnish lady who lived in Stockholm, Sweden.

At the end of the cruise, they found they had so many common interests that Donald asked her if she would like to keep in touch. They have now been in touch for 12 years.

In these 12 years they travelled on more than 36 holidays together - from West Africa, Cape Verde Islands, Dakar and Senegal in the south, to the Faroe Islands and Azores in the north, with the Canaries and Balearics in between.

Donald is survived by his daughter Catherine and grandson Richard Hindle.