MULTI-TALENTED writer, scientist, historian and Westmorland Gazette columnist Ron Freethy has died aged 77.
The celebrated broadcaster and author of more than 100 books has written a regular walking column in the newspaper for a number of years.
Mr Freethy, the third person to receive a heart-pacemaker in 1971, passed away in the Royal Blackburn Hospital on Monday night after suffering two strokes.
Born in Barrow-in-Furness in 1936, he attended Ulverston Grammar School before doing teacher training in London.
The former Burnley biology teacher was also internationally renowned for his work cleaning up industrially-polluted watercourse from the Mersey Basin to Brisbane, Australia.
The keen-sportsman and Burnley Football Club and Lancashire County Cricket fan leaves a wife Marlene aged 75, son Paul (48) and 16-year-old grandson Thomas.
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