Former public health inspector Eric Silvester, of Chippenham, has died aged 96.

Mr Silvester, of Park Avenue, died on Friday at Great Western Hospital, Swindon.

He was born in London and, following service in the Royal Air Force as a medic in the Second World War, studied at London Polytechnic and qualified as a sanitary inspector.

He married Molly Francis on September 21, 1940, in Putney at the height of the Blitz.

His first posting in public health was in 1946 in Barnes, London.

Keen to escape the smog in London he and his family moved to Wiltshire in 1955.

They lived for a short time in Corsham, followed by Biddestone and then Chippenham, where he lived for the rest of his life.

He was employed as a public health inspector by the Calne and Chippenham Rural District Council.

He finished his career in public health as a senior environmental health officer working for North Wiltshire District Council. He retired in 1979 after 33 years in public health.

Because of his training in public health, he campaigned vigorously to ban lead shot which would leach into ground water and cause severe illness if consumed. His efforts resulted in changes which led to the increased use of steel shot rather than lead.

Apart from his life-long interest in public health he was a founding member of the local Ramblers’ Club and Chippenham Probus Club. He was also a church warden at St Nicholas, Hardenhuish, Chippenham, for many years.

In 1999 Mr Silvester was nominated for and received Maundy money for long and devoted service to the church. He received Maundy money from Her Majesty the Queen at Bristol Cathedral.

He wrote many letters to the Gazette on matters affecting Chippenham which were frequently published.

He is survived by his wife, sons Paul and Timothy, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

The funeral service will be on Wednesday at St Nicholas Church, Chippenham, at noon. Donations in his memory will go to Water Aid and St Nicholas Church c/o F W Jones & Son, Chippenham.