The world of classic British motorbikes lost a stalwart with the death of Howard Midgley who died in Airedale Hospital on Monday evening after a short illness.

Mr Midgley, 70, was nationally known and respected in Pre-1965 motor cycle sport and had an immense knowledge of British motor cycles. He was a member of the old Bradford Vagabonds Motor Club and a founder member of the original Yorks and Lancs Classic Motor Cycle Club which later changed its name to the Yorkshire Classic Motorcycle Club.

At the onset of his illness he was due to be clerk of the course for the club's Boxing Day trial at Denholme and the opening trial of this year at Haworth.

Mr Midgley owned many classic British competition machines, and was an expert at restoring them to original factory specifications.

He retired from his position as Drainage Inspector for the Keighley region six years ago.

At the time of his death he was nursing his wife Norma who had undergone a course of chemotherapy treatment for cancer and also suffered a broken hip six weeks earlier.

His death was also a double tragedy for the family as his son Darren was killed in a motorcycle accident 17 years ago while riding to work.

"Darren died on January 10, 1985, he was just 19 and our only son," said Howard's widow Norma, on Wednesday.

The couple have a daughter, Deborah, son-in-law Andrew and grandchildren Victoria and Georgina.

Motorsport correspondent Barry Robinson paid a personal tribute the man he had known for 50 years and was respected throughout the world as an expert on the heyday of the British motorcycle industry.

"I had ridden and owned many of the motor cycles that Howard was such an expert on and I respected his immense knowledge. He was a true character who never wasted words and was stickler for technical accuracy.

"He was fiercely defensive of anything Yorkshire, and anything in motorcycle sport, as long as it was made in Britain. He will be greatly missed by everyone in the sport," Barry said.

A funeral service is to be held at Oakworth Crematorium at 2.30 on Tuesday.