ONE of Herefordshire's leading campaigners on environmental issues and safer routes for cyclists has died in a road accident.

David Gillett, founder of Hereford Centre for Natural Health and Green Party candidate for Hereford at the last General Election, was cycling along Breinton Road, Hereford, when he was in collision with a car.

Mr Gillett, aged 63, was due to stand as a Green candidate in this year's Euro elections.

On the day of his death, January 7, he had been in High Town collecting signatures for a national petition against GM foods. He was cycling to his Park Street home after an evening with friends when the accident happened at about 10.20pm.

The county's annual Green Feast due to take place in Leominster last Saturday - which Mr Gillett was due to attend - was cancelled. It will be held at a later date.

Organiser Felicity Norman said supporters were too upset. "David's death is huge loss. He was a quiet man who moved mountains. He got things done and he helped many people on the way."

Mr Gillett spoke four languages, had travelled extensively and had worked in several European countries. The former town planner qualified as an acupuncturist and went on to build a career in holistic health care in which nutrition was central.

He founded the Hereford Centre for Natural Health in 1982, pioneering a multi-disciplinary approach between complementary therapists and doctors.

He was the driving force with a Hereford GP, the late Dr Robin Andrews, in establishing a purpose built new centre at Belmont, where doctors and complementary healers practise under the same roof. The model has been widely adopted.

Mr Gillett, a Green Party member for 25 years, shaped the party's health policies, setting out his approach in a booklet, Rescuing the Nation's Health.

In 1998 he initiated a campaign for a Private Members' Bill in parliament, the Organic Targets Bill, which attracted support from a host of organisations and paved the way for the Government's Organic Action Plan in 2002.

Family members, including his former partner Marian and their sons Nathan, 28, and Ben, 26, will remember an affectionate and deeply spiritual man with "missionary zeal for saving the planet" and a love of mountain walking and the great outdoors,

David Bright Gillett was being buried today (Thursday) at a woodland burial site near Leominster.

A memorial gathering for friends and colleagues will take place at Lingen Village Hall on January 24 at 12noon.

His family will welcome donations to some of his favourite causes, including Sustrans, which is campaigning for dedicated and safe routes for cyclists.

Hereford police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr Gillett's death. Anyone with information should contact PC Simon Prater on 08457 444 888.