Well-known Chippenham resident Ken Strange has died, aged 86, after a long illness.

Mr Strange was a Chippenham boy and, apart from three years in the Royal Signals between 1945 and 1948, never left the town.

He was born in Blind Lane, now Gladstone Road, to Reg and Flo Strange and was educated at Westmead School and then the secondary school in Cocklebury Road, leaving at the age of 14.

He was a butcher’s apprentice, starting as a delivery boy, and once had to leave the meat in the garden of a house in Kington Langley after he was chased off by geese.

During the Second World War he was a messenger boy for the Air Raid Patrol and was called up in May 1945 just as the war ended. He always said that Hitler couldn’t stand the thought of another Strange in the Army as his two older brothers and an uncle were already in service.

After being demobbed in 1948, he returned to butchering and became a slaughterman, working in several abattoirs in Chippenham. He then worked at Westinghouse for 18 years as a painter before he was made redundant and returned to butchering at Newmans of Malmesbury.

His two passions were swimming and football. He learned to swim in the old Chippenham pool which was actually a section of the river near the Sea Cadets headquarters. He was an excellent diver as well and the cry would go up “Khyber’s going off the top board” as he executed a superb swallow dive.

When the open-air pool opened in Monkton Park he became a lifeguard and taught many children to swim and dive. He was appalled when that pool was closed and never went to the Olympiad, preferring Corsham, Calne or Swindon pools.

He was a keen supporter of Chippenham Town FC for 80 years and was a life member of the club. His eldest son, Brian, played in the reserves and Mr Strange was very proud of him. Mr Strange also had two sons, Martin and Robin, by his second wife, Jo.

Although he was in his 40s when they were born, he was a very hands-on dad and they kept him young. They all lived together in Downing Street and he was a keen supporter of the street parties for which it is famous.

He and Jo celebrated their ruby wedding in October 2012, a milestone Mr Strange did not think he would achieve as ill health had set in about four years previously.

He had three spells in the Royal United Hospital, Bath, in 2010, 2012 and again this year. He died peacefully in hospital on September 27.

Donations in his memory can be made to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association through Aaron Bewley at H Merrett Funeral Directors. It is hoped enough is raised to have a guide dog named Khyber in his honour.