CALSTOCK Parish Council has paid tribute to Ian Kirk, a stalwart councillor of 20 years, who died last week after a short illness.

Mr Kirk, 75, was co-opted onto the council in 1994 and was chairman in 2001.

Chairman of the parish council Stephen Jaggard said: 'Cllr Kirk was one of the most principled men I ever met in parish affairs. Often people have a single main matter in which they are interested. Cllr Kirk's only interest was in representing the interests of the majority of the community — that was the man.

'He was diligent in everything he did and the calmest man I met in this part of the country. He was always polite but he had an absolutely iron resolve when it came to achieve something he believed in. We will miss him greatly.'

A memorial service for Ian Kirk, a former teacher at Tavistock College and JP, will take place at St Anne's Church in Gunnislake on Tuesday, March 25 at 3pm.