FRIENDS and family have paid tribute to a Belbroughton war veteran who died just three days before his 93rd birthday.

Leonard Hinton, of Holy Cross Lane, former president of Belbroughton, Clent and Fairfield British Legion, had been battling cancer for some time but died of pneumonia on Sunday, August 4.

Hundreds of people crammed into Belbroughton's Holy Trinity Church for his funeral on Monday, August 12 - and the cricket-mad pensioner's ashes were later scattered on the village cricket ground.

His wife of 48 years, Mary, aged 81, said: "We took a bottle of champagne and raised our glasses to him. He loved his cricket; he used to say it was his religion.

"He played for the village cricket team when we first moved into Belbroughton in the 50s."

London-born Leonard served in India during World War Two; having gone out as a private in 1942, he came back a captain in 1945.

He spent his working life first in the north of England at the Yorkshire Power Company, then at West Bromwich glassmaking firm Chance Brothers, where he was company secretary and later director.

Afterwards he switched to Birmingham Engineering and Building Centre as company secretary. He worked there until he was 70.

On retiring he was devoted to the British Legion, holding the posts of secretary, treasurer, committee member, chairman and president.

Bernard Fitchew, current legion president and former next-door neighbour, said: "It was a privilege to know Leonard. He was a very, very nice man."

Leonard, who leaves two grown-up children - Judith and Anthony, also helped his wife with history society activities and used to be a member of the church hall management committee.

He was also great friends with former Stuart Crystal boss, the late Bill Stuart, who died aged 92 last October.

The pair used to call themselves twins as they were both born in August of the same year.

They even celebrated their 90th birthday together.