A FORMER police superintendent, with nearly 30 years' experience working for North-East forces, has died.

John Punshon, 77, a retired police superintendent with the Durham and Northumbria forces died on September 20, after a long illness.

Friends and former colleagues of Mr Punshon are invited to his funeral, to be held in South Shields Crematorium tomorrow, at 1pm.

He joined Durham Constabulary in 1946 and worked his way through the ranks. After the creation of Northumbria Police in 1974, he switched to the new force where he retired in 1975 after 29 years' service.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, daughter Christine and a brother, Jim