A FORMER Army major who carried out bomb disposal work in many parts of the world before retiring to run a restaurant has died at the age of 75.

Donald Mockford served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps for more than 30 years before opening the Tavern Restaurant, at Staindrop, near Barnard Castle.

He was elected to Teesdale District Council and represented Staindrop for several years in the 1980s.

He is the third former member of the council to die in the past week, following the deaths reported yesterday of Fred Blackwell and Arnold Makepeace.

A council official said yesterday: "It is sad that three men who gave the district excellent service have all died within such a short space of time."

The Tavern became one of the best-known eating places in the North-East. Mr Mockford, who was 6ft 6in, was host and his wife, Marian, did the cooking.

They moved to Barnard Castle after selling the business, which has changed hands several times since then and has been run under different names.

Mrs Mockford died 15 months ago.

Her husband's funeral will be held at Darlington Crematorium today at 2.45pm. Donations in lieu of flowers are being invited for cancer research.

He leaves two sons, Nigel and Bruce, and two grandchildren.