Tributes have been paid to a community champion known affectionately as 'Mr Kirton'.

Cecil Brumpton, 83, died peacefully at his home in Ings Road, Kirton in Lindsey, on Sunday, January 29, after a long illness.

Mr Brumpton was a three-time town mayor of Kirton, where he served on the town council for almost half a century.

He was also mayor of Glanford for the 1979-80 year and gave 60 years of service to scouting, as a scout leader and Scunthorpe and district commissioner.

Mr Brumpton's wife Pauline, 79, said: "He was a community-spirited man and very much a family man.

"He was born in Kirton in Lindsey in Town Hall Passage and he was in Kirton all his life, apart from when he was in the Navy.

"Everybody called him 'Mr Kirton' because he did everything.

"He was very much orientated with the youth and he was scouting for 60 years with the Scunthorpe and District group.

"He was on Glanford Borough Council for 25 years and Kirton Town Council for 48 years.

"He was a school governor at Huntcliff School and Kirton in Lindsey Primary School and he was also on all of the charities and was a trustee of the war memorial until it was handed over to the town council."

Mr Brumpton was also president of the Kirton branch of the Royal British Legion and was responsible for decorating Kirton town centre with its Christmas lights, an idea he had after seeing a display while on holiday in the Netherlands.

Mrs Brumpton said: "He started with a few lights and it snowballed and people came from far and wide to see our Christmas lights.

"The last time he put them up, it took him 164 hours and the town was beautiful.

"He was one of the town hall trustees and it was his highlight when Prince Edward opened it.

"But scouting was his biggest love and he used to take trips to Holland every year for 40 years, to Norway, Turkey and Italy and they have had wonderful times when he has taken them."

Mr Brumpton is survived by his daughters Lesley Green and Carolyn Taylor, as well as seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mrs Taylor said: "He is the person who has been my inspiration and made me who I am in terms of my beliefs, my interests, my understanding of the community and that there is more to life than just thinking about yourself.

"He was always very involved with his grandchildren and he showed them a good direction in life that hopefully they will continue to follow."

Mrs Green added: "He was always there if I needed anything."

A funeral service for Mr Brumpton will be held at the United Mission Church in Kirton at 2pm on Wednesday, February 8.