One of the best known residents of Helston and Porthleven, former town mayor and Alderman Michael Gale, has died.

Known as "Father of the Council," Mr Gale was first elected to the old Helston Borough Council in 1955, representing the Porthleven ward. In 1964 he served for two terms as mayor and became an Alderman in 1968.

Following reorganisation of the council in 1974, when Helston and Porthleven became two separate councils, Mr Gale chose to sit on Helston town council. He also sat for three years on Kerrier district council, beginning in 1977.

His keen interest as chairman of Helston's twinning committee with Sasso Marconi in Italy also earned him the name of "Mr Twinning."

Mr Gale was born in Tetbury, Gloucestershire in 1922 and joined the army in 1941. He was one of the first tank drivers to ride into Normandy at the D-Day landings in 1944. The previous year he had been mentioned in Despatches following the D-Day landings in Sicily and Italy.

At the conclusion of his war service in 1946 he moved to Porthleven with his wife Brenda and remained there ever since. He was known for giving a great deal back to the community and among the positions he took on in the port were senior governor of Porthleven School, founder member and vice chair of Porthleven Gala Week Committee and treasurer of Porthleven Town Band for 30 years, until 1983.

He was given the Freedom of the Borough of Helston in 1985.

Mr Gale died yesterday and a date for his funeral has yet to be set.

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