THE chairman of the group which fought to prevent the huge pit at Ash Moor being used for the disposal of hundreds of carcasses during the foot and mouth crisis has died.
Ron Dawson of Petrockstowe was chairman of the Stop Ash Moor Pit (Stamp) group, which fought the Ash Moor proposals, put forward by MAFF.
Joe Skinner of Stamp paid tribute to the tremendous work put in by Mr Dawson during the foot and mouth crisis and its aftermath.
Mr Skinner said: ?Ron Dawson was Stamp and the rest of us were carried along by him.
?He is going to be a hard act to follow, but we are determined to carry on with his good work.
?Our success will be the best possible memorial to Ron and his hard work.?
Mr Dawson died on Christmas Eve ? he was 45.
Mr Skinner said: ?Ron had been ill for several months but only in the last few weeks did he delegate his work with Stamp.
?Ron was a tremendous personality.
?His efforts helped prevent the use of the Ash Moor for carcass burial and all the associated problems of pollution.
?The fact we have no carcasses in Ash Moor is at least partly down to his hard work.
?Stamp will shortly be choosing a new chairman and will continue to press DEFRA and Devon County Council to ensure Ash Moor is given over to a wildlife conservation agency.?