FORMER Hartlepool United player and parliamentarian Lord Tom Burlison has died.

Lord Burlison was Honorary Life President of the League One club.

A spokesman for Hartlepool United said: "Not only was Lord Burlison a former player at the club, but he was someone who represented the town and the football club so honourably over the years in Parliament.

"When Parliamentary duties allowed, Lord Burlison was a regular at Victoria Park amd his presence at the ground will be missed.

"The news has come as a terrible shock to everyone at the club and we would like to offer our condolences to his family at this very sad time."

Alan Donnelly, former Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party and currently Executive Chairman of Sovereign Strategy Ltd, said the news was a terrible shock.

"Tom gave me my first job at the age of 21 and played an important role in guiding my early career at the GMB and in politics, as he did for so many other young men and women," Mr Donnelly said.

"He played a massive role in the life of the North-East during its most challenging years in the late 1970s andthe 1980s yet was able to bridge the enormous divisions that resulted from the anti-union politics of the early 1980s.

"Membership of theHouse ofLords was a fitting reward for a man who did much to modernise both the trade union movement and the Labour Party.

"Hisstabilising influencethrough turbulent times ensured that Labour in the North-Eastalways remained electable, andhelped lay the foundations for Labour's massive success in 1997.

"I feel a deep personal sadness at the news of his death, and my thoughts are with his family and friends at this very sad time."

Full story and tributes in tomorrow's The Northern Echo