A MAN who helped to keep the lights burning bright in many South Lakeland homes and businesses during the severest of weather has died, aged 53.

John 'Barney' McCrindle worked for Norweb for many years and was trained and authorised to switch on the high voltage network.

Born on November 8 1965 at Helme Chase Hospital, Kendal, Mr McCrindle attended the town's Stramongate Primary School before moving on to Longland's Boys School. He was also an enthusiastic member of the Kendal Sea Cadets.

After leaving school, Mr McCrindle landed a job with Leck Construction, Kendal, before transferring to Norweb, where he began his career in the power industry as an underground cable layer. He then continued to become an overhead linesman.

In June 1990, he was appointed craft attendant and nine years later was promoted to the role of enhanced craftsman for what was then United Utilities.

He transferred to Electricity Northwest in July 2010 and was mainly based in Kendal.

Mr McCrindle became well-known as a trusted and skilled Norweb employee. His passion was service work, meeting and helping customers and giving great attention to detail.

He also responded to the needs of those without power caused by some weather event, often working on Christmas Day and during other family occasions. Often he would travel far from home to other counties for jobs and was never one to shirk his responsibilities when it came to volunteering.

When natural disasters such as Storm Desmond and the Beast from the East hit, Mr McCrindle would work round-the-clock for periods of up to eight days.

Mr McCrindle, whose hobbies included music, scooters and Manchester City FC, was known for always putting others' needs before himself and saved his colleagues from making mistakes that could have resulted in unfortunate consequences. He was due to collect his 30 year service award later on in the year.

An escort of scooters travelled from Mr McCrindle's Kirkbarrow home to Kendal Parish Church for the funeral service and traffic was stopped in the town as the funeral cortege travelled around town to Parkside Road cemetery.

Mr McCrindle is survived by his parents, two daughters, two grandchildren, a sister and brother and their families.