TRIBUTES have been paid to a former top football referee and a tenants' champion who died last week.

Peter Baldwin, 71, of Farndale Gardens, Lingdale, had a football career that spanned 50 years and included 14 years as a Football League referee. He refereed the 1966 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Chelsea and last October was presented with a silver salver by the Referees' Association.

Association General Secretary Arthur Smith said: "Peter was a staunch RA member who gave long service and he'll be sadly missed by all who knew and worked with him."

His role as a tenant on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council saw him elected to the chair of the East Cleveland District Area Committee and a place on the Coast and Country Housing's Shadow Board, the proposed new housing organisation on which tenants are currently being balloted.

Housing director Iain Sim said: "It's such a tragedy that, after all his work, he won't be here for the final result."

Mr Baldwin's wife, June, died 18 months ago. He leaves a son, a daughter and a grandson.