THE director of the Oxfordshire Association of the Blind, who took on the role after 18 years as a newspaper editor, has died, aged 60.

Laurence Cummins, known as Lou, passed away on Friday, October 13.

He was appointed by the charity in 1996 following a long stint at the Newbury Weekly News.

In the early days of his new job, he made good use of his personal connections in Newbury, drawing in friends to fundraise for the OAB outside Carfax.

When he started at the OAB, the charity reached about 1,500 visually-impaired people in the county. Eight years later, client numbers had doubled.

Mr Cummins was a formidable campaigner for blind people.

Friend Penny Stokes said: "He enjoyed stamping on the corns of intransigent and mindless bureaucracy, and his very name brought officialdom out in a cold sweat.

"If he found someone in distress that he could alleviate by direct personal action, he did whatever was needed, on the spot. He once took a near-destitute client home for Christmas."

Outside work, Mr Cummins was a keen reader and music fan.

Once a keen rugby player, he was also a golfer until illness forced him off his beloved Newbury and Crookham course earlier this year.

Mr Cummins retired officially in May last year, but he continued to work from his home in Winding Wood near Hungerford as much as he could, despite his ill health.

In March this year, to the incredulity of friends, he undertook a sponsored walk, completing over two miles, and raising more than £10,000.

He was married to Frankie and they had two children, Samantha and Toby.