A FUNERAL service was being held today for George Ward, a life member of Selby Working Men’s Club, who has died aged 86.

A silence was observed at the club’s annual general meeting for Mr Ward, who was a former club president.

In his youth, Mr Ward was a football referee who officiated at games in the Yorkshire League and ran the line at Football League games and a Scotland international match at Hampden Park.

His working life was spent in shipbuilding, starting as an apprentice plater at Cochranes before moving to Dunstan’s at Hessle in 1951, where he stayed for 40 years.

Fred McGuire, the former general manager at Dunstan’s, said: “George was one of the best platers we had in the yard at that time. He caught the 6.30am train every morning from Selby and he was never late.”

Mr Ward, who was a bachelor, leaves a brother Geoffrey, nephews and nieces. The funeral will take place at 2pm, followed by cremation, and a collection will be taken for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.