THE chairman of Ilkley Parish Council has paid tribute to the son of a fellow councillor, whose life was cut tragically short.

Nick Sheard, the son of Coun Anne Hawkesworth, died suddenly of a blood clot, at the age of 26, last month.

In an address made at a council meeting, last Monday, Coun Gibbons, offered his condolences to Coun Hawkesworth, environment chief at Bradford City Council, and her husband John.

He said: "It has to be generally agreed that it is every parent's worst nightmare to lose a child, a son or a daughter. Certainly I know that to be the case for Anne and her husband."

Coun Gibbons praised the young man, a member of Ben Rhydding Cricket Club, as an exemplary and involved member of the Ilkley community.

He said: "Nicholas was a very well-liked and very affable young man. He was indeed a very great part of the lives of an awful lot of young people in this area, particularly the cricketing fraternity.

"It was a great honour to arrange for the flag to fly at half mast over the council chamber for someone who had played such a great part in local community life."

He also lauded the many young friends of Mr Sheard, whom he met at the young man's funeral, for the dignity and strength they showed at his death.

He said: "It was a very moving occasion. A lot of derogatory comments are made about young folk in our area, but if what I saw there was representative of our young folk, indeed that would not be the case.

"There really were some super young people there. So much so, that Anne tells me they have been of tremendous support to her in the last few weeks."

Coun Gibbons also expressed sympathy to Mr Sheard's fiancee, Diane Robinson.