THE death of Albert Daniels at the age of 97 has left Hereford without a familiar and much-loved character.

Born in September 1907, he spent his working life with the GPO as a telecom engineer throughout Herefordshire. He was ideally suited to the job as it gave him the chance to travel through the county, stopping off to repair cables and offer advice as well as enjoy a chat and a cup of tea!

Albert and his wife Marjory moved into Prior Street in the 1930s and he lived in the same house until his death. Marjory died of cancer in the late 1960s and, although the couple had no children, the garden was always full of local youngsters who enjoyed fishing in the Yazor Brook.

Throughout his retirement Albert led a very busy life. He had an allotment at the Rockfield Road site until he was into his 90s and hit the headlines of the Hereford Times in 1997 when his shed war burned to the ground by vandals.

Undeterred, he carried on with his garden and was recently rewarded with a long-service medal from Hereford Allotment Society. He also held the record for being the city's longest-serving allotment tenant.

Albert was a volunteer at the Widemarsh Workshops, a regular face at the Richmond Club and a loyal part of the community at St Barnabas Church.

A keen sportsman in his youth, he was one of the first people to buy shares in Hereford United when the club was formed in 1924 and continued as a season-ticket holder until very recently, when he found it difficult to attend games.

He was a regular swimmer and gave moral support to numerous pensioners, encouraging them to take the plunge and learn to swim regardless of their age. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he even gained himself a lifetime's free pass at Hereford Leisure Pool after complaining that the charges for pensioners had gone up.

His funeral will take place at St Barnabas' Church tomorrow (Friday) at 11am. Donations in lieu of flowers will be in aid of the County Air Ambulance.