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Former daily sub-editor who became mayor of patch dies aged 86

David ThorpeA regional daily sub-editor who went on to manage an ice hockey club and serve as mayor of his former paper’s patch has died aged 86.

Tributes have been paid to David Thorpe, left, who worked for the Peterborough Evening Telegraph before turning freelance and later running his own PR agency.

David spent 12 years as a Conservative member of Peterborough City Council in the 1990s and 2000s.

He was deputy mayor for his colleague Cllr John Horrell in 2005 and donned the mayoral robes in sad circumstances after John passed away during his year as mayor.

Former council Charles Swift said: “Everybody would say he’s a lovely gentleman. There’s no doubt about it, his character was beyond reproach.

“There are not many people like David. He was a very hard worker and did an awful lot over the years such as raising money for charity, particularly on the youth side.

“Him and his wife [Janet] were two of the stalwarts of Peterborough. You won’t find people like them again. Anyone you spoke to had the utmost respect for the gentleman.

“He liked and understood people and could converse with people. He was so genuine. Nothing was too much trouble for him.”

David spent time as a news reporter in London and Belfast before moving to Peterborough in 1955 to work as a sub editor, laying out pages on the newly launched Evening Telegraph.

He then moved to the Angling Times before turning freelance.

David also had a passion for ice hockey and served as team manager for Peterborough Pirates team in 1985.

He returned to rescue the team financially when they were in danger of folding at the end of 1992.