THE president of the West Worcestershire Conservative Association, Anthony Ogilvie, has died after a short illness.

Mr Ogilvie, aged 54, moved to the county about 12 years ago and lived with his mother, Ruth, in Albert Road South, Malvern.

He was a governor of the Grove Junior School and a leading member of the Friends of Malvern action group, which opposed plans to build a Waitrose supermarket in a conservation area.

Mr Ogilvie graduated from Southampton University and qualified as a barrister before becoming assistant to the director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, Sir Campbell Adamson.

He then moved to the United States, where he qualified for the New York bar and practised law for about 15 years.

After moving to Malvern he lectured in law and became a magistrate on the South Worcestershire bench.

Before becoming president of the West Worcestershire Conservative Association, he had been chairman for three years and was political agent for West Worcestershire's MP, Sir Michael Spicer, at the last General Election.

"Anthony was a very great chairman and was also one of my closest friends in politics," said Sir Michael.

"I cannot express how much my wife Ann and I will miss him and how much we grieve for Ruth, his mother."

Mr Ogilvie's brother, Rufus, said he had been unwell for a few months, but had only been bedridden for the last two weeks. He died yesterday.

"I don't think anyone realised how ill he was. It came as a complete shock. It was typical of him not to make a fuss, in line with his being a complete gentleman to the end," his brother added.