TRIBUTES have been paid to a Barrow borough stalwart who served as a council leader and mayor.

Jack Richardson, a former Barrow Borough Council leader, mayor and long-serving Conservative borough and county councillor, has passed away.

Mr Richardson, of Barrow, died last night (Sunday). He was 80 and he had been battling Parkinson's Disease.

Mr Richardson is survived by his wife of 55 years, Shirley, four children and three grandchildren.

The Richardsons originate from Horden, County Durham. They moved to Barrow from Herfordshire in 1983 when Mr Richardson became head of housing for Barrow Borough Council.

As a councillor Mr Richardson represented Hawcoat, and also Roosecote, during his years in office.

He served on the borough council from 1991 for Hawcoat up until last year, despite his poor health. Mr Richardson had said that one of his greatest achievements was serving as Barrow mayor from 2000 to 2001.

He served on Cumbria County Council from 1989, at first representing Roosecote and then Hawcoat. He was a former leader of the Conservatives group on the county council.

As well as being a well-respected councillor, he had also been a member of the Barrow and Furness Rotary clubs and he had run the London Marathon five times.

His loved ones remember him as a great family man. As well as having their own children, the Richardsons also fostered children.

Paying tribute on behalf of the family, his son Mark Richardson, said: "He was very much a family man. He loved his family.

"He was very proud of where he was from and his family. His dad was a coal miner and he was the first in the family not to go down the pit.

"All he wanted to do was help people. He would always make time for people. He would always do the best he could for them."

Mr Mark Richardson said his dad was a great character who "always looked on the positive side" and he was a people person.

Mr Mark Richardson said his dad likened Barrow and its friendly people to his North East roots and as both having that same "community spirit".

Friend and former Barrow councillor Ray Guselli, wrote on social media: "It is with great sadness that I have to advise friends that Jack Richardson, former councillor, Leader of Barrow Council, Cumbria County Council and housing manager for the borough council sadly passed away last night at 6.45pm.

"Having stood with Jack for some years I hope others may remember him as I do, as one of the hardest working and most committed councillors we have had.

"Whether you agreed or not with his politics, no one could have worked harder to help others, bring about change and try to improve things for so many."

Mr Guselli added: "An immensely sad day for his family and friends."

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said: "Barrow has lost one of its most dedicated local government greats with the passing of Jack Richardson and my thoughts are with Shirley, his family and friends.

“For years until his health began seriously to fail, Jack was by some considerable margin Labour's most incisive opponent on the local scene.

"Whenever anyone saw his name in the local press, they knew they were in for a pasting that would always hit home.

“It was a mark of this Barrow patriot that he continued to drag himself to the chamber to have his say even when his health was very poor. I hope Barrow Borough Council will be able to find a fitting way to commemorate his long service to our borough.”

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: "It is sad news indeed about Cllr Jack Richardson. He was a well respected local politician who has served the people of Cumbria tirelessly over many years. As well as being a county councillor he was also the former leader of Barrow Borough Council.

"He always worked hard to change things for the better and always stood up for what he believed in. Our thoughts are with his family at this time."