A BOMB disposal expert who two years ago fulfilled his wish of paying his respects at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday has died, aged 83.

Father-of-four Peter Birchall had given up hope of ever travelling from Kendal to London to honour his own dad - a veteran of two world wars - because he had chronic lung disease and was reliant on oxygen tanks and a wheelchair.

However, his dream was realised in 2015 with help from the Association of Ammunition Technicians - affectionately known as "the bomb squad" - and his son Patrick.

"It was fabulous," Mr Birchall told The Westmorland Gazette back in 2015. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

"The difference between watching it on the box and seeing the actual uniforms was spectacular. The gold braid was shiny and new. It really impressed me."

The great-grandad of 16 was born on April 1 1934 in Liverpool and educated at Quarry Bank school in the city.

He served as a warrant officer in the army cadets prior to joining the regular army in 1951 where he trained in explosive ordnance disposal and served on active service in Malaya, South East Asia, for three and a half years.

On leaving the army in 1956 he trained as an accountant in Lancaster, starting his own practice in Windermere in 1960.

During the following 40 years he was involved in a number of businesses in the town; the sub post office, several retail shops, his families electrical contractors, Ambleside Cinema, wholesale book selling and publishing and also a small farm at Burneside with his wife Christine.

After the sale of his accountancy business, with son Nick and friend Mike Turner, they developed PAV Data Systems Ltd which became a world leader in the manufacture of wireless optical data transmission equipment.

It went on to be awarded two Queens Awards for Enterprise in 2001, the only Cumbrian business ever to win two awards in the same year.

Mr Birchall was always heavily involved in the community, serving on the Chamber of Trade and licensed Victuallers, Goodly Dale Charity Homes and founding the Civic Society.

He was also member and chairman of Windermere Urban District and Parish Councils, a member of Cumbria Tourist Board for more than 30 years and a secretary and later president on the NW Texel Breeders.

His personal interests included gardening, reading, militaria, model making and writing. Later in life he wrote The Longest Walk, a detailed history of bomb disposal.

He is survived by his four children, Sarah, Katie, Nick and Paddy, 17 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.