FORMER chairman of Tyldesley Council, George Hilbert, has died at the age of 91.

Mr Hilbert died peacefully at Bedford Care Home on Tuesday, April 2. He was the husband of the late Edith and leaves a daughter, Brenda Hughes, seven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He was due to have a great-great-grandchild in a month's time.

Tyldesley born and bred, Mr Hilbert worked as a charge nurse at Leigh Infirmary from 1947 until he retired in 1974. He was always actively involved with Tyldesley Council and became chairman in 1958, then again in 1968.

After his retirement Mr Hilbert focused on his role as a JP in Leigh, he also carried out volunteer work at Atherton's Citizen's Advice Bureau and was a staunch member of the Tyldesley and District Historical Society.

His grandson, Roy Higson said: "He was always very active. He used to go and sit on Tyldesley market with all his friends in the afternoons and he couldn't walk through Tyldesley without being stopped by people who knew him."