A FORMER Mayor of Sunderland, who worked both below and above ground in the coal industry, has died at the age of 81.

Thomas Megan Finnigan, known as Tom, died from a heart attack on Tuesday, two decades after his year in office as mayor of the then Borough of Sunderland.

Born in Washington, in 1921, he began his working life as a miner at Harraton Colliery, switching to nearby Glebe Colliery, where he worked the coalface, before going to a job in the personnel department at the National Coal Board regional offices at Team Valley, Gateshead, in 1967.

He was an active member of the National Union of Mineworkers, serving as lodge secretary at Glebe Colliery from 1951 to 1967, while also being a lifelong Labour Party member.

His public duties saw him serve on Durham County Council, from 1964 to 1968, Washington Urban District Council, from 1967 to 1974, transferring to Sunderland Borough Council, following local government reorganisation.

Before retiring from official duties in 1990 he chaired several influential council committees and served on Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority, from its inception in 1985.

He leaves a wife, Marie Patterson Finnigan, daughter Heather, granddaughter Linzi Alice and great-grandchildren, Thomas and Sophie.

His funeral service takes place at Holy Trinity Church, Washington Village, on Monday, at noon.