David Stephen, a leading figure in the Wharfedale and Airedale Table Tennis League, has died after a short illness.

Mr Stephen, who was in his mid 60s, was chairman of the league which he joined 25 years ago. His first club was Ilkley Youth Centre, which ran open age teams, but he and his team colleague Christopher Close, moved to Yarnbury RUFC at Horsforth.

They later moved to Menston CC and then to Otley RUFC. Mr Stephen and Mr Close formed quite a formidable doubles pair.

Mr Stephen, of Brooklands Crescent, Menston, represented the Wharfedale League in the Yorkshire League Veterans Division on more than 90 occasions.

He began playing the sport in 1952 at St Andrew's Youth Club, Derby, his home town. He served two years in the Army in the Far East and saw active service in Korea and Malaya, gaining the rank of sergeant.

Following Army service, he returned to Derby in 1957 and played in the Derby and District TT League. His work took him to Cambridge in 1961 where he helped to resurrect the Ely and District League. He was league and press secretary from 1961-67. He also played in the Cambridgeshire league and later returned to the Derby League before moving to Yorkshire.

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