MR CINDERFORD Frank Beard has died at the home where he was born 79 years ago.

The first Mayor of Cinderford passed away surrounded by his family on Tuesday night.

Now civic leaders are trying to arrange a special funeral service in the Triangle where he was presented with the first mayoral chain by Sir Jimmy Young in 1978.

See this week's papers for full tributes to the man who fought Cinderford's corner for more than 40 years.