A TOWN has been left in mourning after the passing of charity champion and North Oxfordshire legend Jack Friswell.

The former leader of Banbury Borough Council passed away aged 96 on Monday after a life dedicated to good causes.

Mr Friswell was born in Banbury on May 8, 1920 and went to Dashwood Road School, followed by Magdalen College in Brackley.

He joined the Oxfordshire Yeomanry in 1939, serving in England, Northern Ireland, France and Belgium during the Second World War before returning to Banbury in 1945.

He married Margaret McQueen and the couple had four daughters.

After forming the Swan Foundry in Banbury in 1947 Mr Friswell was elected to Banbury Borough Council as a Conservative member in 1952.

It would launch several decades in office that would see him rise to leader of the council, deputy lieutenant of Oxfordshire, magistrate, alderman, Mayor of Banbury and president of both the town's rugby and rotary clubs.

Over the course of his life Mr Friswell raised £5 million for local charity appeals as a passionate supporter of the Horton General Hospital and St Mary's Church.

On one occasion he remarked: "Let us never forget that whatever party we belong to, we have one duty above all – the betterment of this town in which we live."

In 1980 Mr Friswell received his OBE title and in 2006 he was the first to become an Honorary Burgess of Banbury, the equivalent of being awarded freedom of the town.

He also chaired the Fine Lady Appeal Committee from 2005 onwards dedicated to installing – and later preserving – the iconic bronze statue in the centre of Banbury.

Following his death, current Banbury Town Council leader Kieron Mallon paid tribute to Mr Friswell's "tremendous energy and enthusiasm", adding that the town would be "much poorer" without his efforts.