A FORMER editor of the Redditch Indicator and co-founder of Redditch Rotary Club has died aged 85.

Len Millar was a man of many talents and led a busy life, not only as a journalist but also as a chemist, teacher, musician, choirmaster, astronomer and community campaigner.

Born in Redditch, he showed musical talent as a child, playing the organ at school before going to Redditch Technical College.

But his first career was as a journalist, starting as a cub reporter and rising to become the Indicator's editor for five years before serving in the army during the Second World War.

Invalided out with a knee injury, he switched careers and joined HDA Ltd, working in the metallurgical laboratory, where he became deputy works chemist in charge of the spectro-chemical laboratory.

But music and the arts remained the loves of his life. As well as his organ playing, he also became a choirmaster.

He co-founded both the Redditch Literary and Scientific Society in 1946 and the Redditch Rotary Club in 1948.

Later, he attended Loughborough College of Education, gaining a first class honours diploma and at the age of 50 became a teacher and popular resident of Newent, Gloucestershire.

There he was the founder member and chairman of the Newent Civic Society from 1984 until 1992 and then president until 1998.

In that year he was made the society's first life member and presented with a plaque to mark his major achievement.

His first wife, whom he married in 1940, died a few years later.

He remarried in 1951 and he and Irene celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last month.

He is also survived by a daughter, Anne, a teacher.