TRIBUTES have been paid to a well known Bradford councillor and former market trader who has died, at the age of 76.

David Gray served as a councillor for Bolton and Undercliffe. He was elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor in 2003 and was re-elected twice more, before finally standing down from Bradford Council in 2014.

Former Lord Mayor of Bradford, and Bolton and Undercliffe Councillor, Howard Middleton paid tribute to Mr Gray.

“On the council he did a lot of the ‘unglamourous’ work, as a Planning Panel member and on numerous panels for Licensing and various Appeal panels,” said Mr Middleton.

“He was a volunteer firefighter in his younger days, and then later became a member of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority.

“He never sought the limelight but instead doggedly worked away, helping many constituents with casework. He was a typical stubborn Yorkshireman. and although not from Bradford, he made it his home.

“In his working life he, like many people, had to constantly re-invent himself. He was a senior buyer with Grandways supermarket, then a stallholder in Shipley open market for decades, and a spokesman for the stallholders in their dealings with the Bradford Markets Service.

“He will be missed by many in North Bradford and our deepest condolences go out to to his wife Lynne and the family.”

Mr Gray was born in Cleckheaton and worked in the retail trade. He set up his own business, with market stalls in Bingley and Bradford’s John Street Market and Leeds. He also set up a retail business in Leeds, selling clothing and toiletries.

Mr Gray’s son, Scott Gray, said: “He really took to council work and he took on many roles. He was a governor at Poplars Farm Primary School and he was involved with social care.

“He worked so hard setting up his business and that took up a lot of his time, but he enjoyed walking and travelling, and travelled abroad for many years. He lived with my mum in Idle, they were together nearly 60 years and he died suddenly, just two weeks ahead of his 77th birthday.”

In 2013 the Telegraph & Argus reported that Mr Gray, while a councillor, called for tougher action with private landlords over fire safety. As a member of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority, he wanted more tenants in privately-rented accommodation to be protected with smoke alarms.

He called for Bradford Council to introduce neighbourhood teams to visit landlords and tenants offering advice.

Mr Gray told the T&A: "I am concerned that lives are at risk. It is such an easy fix as well. For the sake of £10, are we prepared to risk the lives of a child, parent or a whole family?

"The people who are at risk are vulnerable people. We have a duty to these people to do this."

Also in 2013 Mr Gray also helped Undercliffe residents tackle the problem of off-road bikers causing a nuisance at a disused school field. Residents launched a petition calling for action.

Mr Gray leaves his wife, Lynne, and their two children, Scott and Nicola, and five grandchildren; Ben, Oliver, Ethan, Kaiden and Theo.

The funeral will take place on Friday, October 16 at Nab Wood Crematorium, with donations to the British Heart Foundation and Alzheimer’s Society.