The residents of Shotley and Harringworth arranged an afternoon tea party to celebrate the remarkable life of William (Bill) Brown, born on 23 May, 1919.

In 1939 with war looming, Bill became one of a small number of men to train as a Militiaman and after six months he was dispatched to Clacton-on-Sea.

Twelve days later he found himself as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers British Expedition Force in France.

Following the Nazi invasion he was forced to retreat to Dunkirk. Bill was then diverted 400 miles to La Rochelle and served out the rest of the war in Europe.

Bill moved to Shotley with his wife Phyl 30 years ago, having had a distinguished career in the furniture industry.

His gardening was legendary and he was still making soup with his home grown tomatoes in his 99th year.

He had travelled the world, scuba diving with his grandson in the Caribbean and walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in his late 80s.

An active member of the Wednesday walking group and then on the stroller group, he continued to do a five-mile walk each week until his mid 90s.

Bill's approach to life is a lesson to us all and epitomises what is great in a human being.