Obituary: Mr John Hindle

Mr Hindle, 68, was 'Mr Sport' in his home village of Cowling and was particularly keen to help young people throughout the district.

He was chairman and a life member of Cowling Cricket Club and was also their representative on the Craven Cricket League committee. He was chairman of the Craven Joe Lumb junior cricket committee and President of the Upper Airedale Junior League and a member of the Craven Cricket Coaches Association.

But as well as being a hard worker behind the scenes he also rolled his sleeves up and kept the Cowling club's ground in tip condition.

He was born and brought up in Eastburn and played for the village club until it folded. By then he was married an lived in Cowling where he joined the club as a player before becoming umpire and groundsman.

A keen all round sportsman he was also a member of Cowling FC and was club secretary from 1984 until last week's annual meeting when he told members he wanted to stand down, but was going to help his successor.

He also helped launch the club's junior teams.

Outside sport he was chairman of the Great Pram Race committee, helping to raise thousands of pounds for Airedale Hospital. He was working on plans for this year's event which also includes a pun quiz series and is raising money for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust.

Mr Hindle worked at Landis Lund for many years and was employed by Yorkshire Water for a time before his retirement.

Together with his wife, Joyce, he had two children, Kathy and David, who are both married, and four grandsons.

Craven League official mr Trevor Coe said: "John was a real stalwart of local cricket and the whole of the Craven & District cricket world will be saddened by his death. He will be sadly missed by missed by both club and league members. his knowledge and common sense approach to cricket matters spoke volumes of one of the gentlemen of local cricket."

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