ONE of Crook's best loved characters has died a few weeks before his 101st birthday.

Fred Campbell, who was a popular figure in his home town of Crook, lived in Southfield Lodge, where he enjoyed helping in the garden and where he celebrated his 100th birthday on April 25, last year.

Born in Tow Law, he started work as a colliery joiner when he left school at 14.

He moved to Crook to work as a handyman and gardener at St Cuthbert's RC Church and met his wife Mary Weightman, who was a presbytery maid.

During the Second World War, he worked in a munitions factory at Low Fell.

Peacetime brought a job at Bankfoot Cokeworks, until the company closed, and then Mr Campbell repaired wagons and coaches for British Rail.

After he retired at 65, he was a regular traveller by rail.

His son, John, from Bishop Auckland, said: "He would go to Durham or Darlington station and get on the first train that came, whether it was to Edinburgh or Bristol.

"He would disappear for the day and come back again. Fortunately he was fit and able to get around.

"He liked people and was very interested in the church. When the entrance was altered at St Cuthbert's they found his name from 1930 at the back of an icon he had put up."

Great-grandfather Mr Campbell leaves sons John and Tony, from Kirkcaldy, and daughter Margaret Turnbull, who lives in Durham. Another daughter, Anne Fraser, from Spennymoor, died three years ago.

A requiem mass will be held at St Cuthbert's tomorrow at 12.30pm, followed by an interment.