A VETERAN maverick councillor has died at his home, aged 73.

Jimmy Whelan served Darlington at town and county council level in a 35-year political career.

He was first elected to Darlington Town Council in 1956, as Labour's representative in the Harrowgate Hill ward and went on to sit on various committees.

Four years after his election, he was expelled from the party for going against a Labour group ruling, but he was taken back in 1966, having continued to serve as an independent.

At the time of his election, he was a labourer with the North of England School Furnishing Company and a member and shop steward of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.

He was chosen as mayor of Darlington by the then Tory-run council from 1968 to 1969 and, from 1973 to 1977 he served as a Durham county councillor.

In 1976, he decided not to seek re-election to Darlington council.

Mr Whelan returned to Durham County Council in 1981 and continued his civic duties in that capacity for ten years.

As a councillor, he became known for his outspoken views on controversial issues and considered himself the only 'free agent' on the council. In 1962 he had called for a report into the future of the North Road locomotive works to be made public.

Mr Whelan was a bachelor who nursed his crippled mother and continued to live with his sister, ex-councillor Ellen Meredith.

Cliff Hutchinson was Coun Whelan's deputy mayor.

"We were good friends, we did well as mayor and deputy mayor," he said."He was a good lad, quite a nice chap and one of the real characters. We had our differences, but we still got on well."

Mr Whelan's funeral will be held at 10.15am, Friday 9th August, in Darlington Crematorium Chapel.