Mathematician and inventor Alan David Mackie died, aged 67, at his home in Corsham on Monday.

Mr Mackie was born in Northampton and was evacuated soon afterwards, before moving to Surrey where he attended a boarding school.

He became a keen sportsman, taking part in pole vaulting and running at Ilford Athletics Club. He married Sally in London in 1963, going on to have four children, Anna, 42, Alastair, 40, Christopher, 36 and Jessica, 34.

Mr Mackie worked in numerous occupations including the chemical industry before writing educational material in Harrow and Bristol.

In 1971 he became the head of the Open Learning Centre at Bath Technical College, now the City of Bath College, later becoming a lecturer in maths.

The family moved to Brakspear Drive, Corsham, in 1973. He took early retirement in 1992 to write his own maths text books.

He was also a keen inventor, creating projects like polyhedral tents, Wall Chess, and dodecahedral 3D calendars. During the past five years he developed a keen interest in croquet, enjoying the mathematical side of the sport, working out the angles for each shot. He and his wife joined Kington Langley Croquet Club and enjoyed many good games.

Mr Mackie’s other loves included spending time with his three grandchildren Jasmin, 19, Joshua, 13, and Georgia, 12, as well as gardening, fine wine and holidays with his family in Cornwall.

In 2002 he was found to have a failing heart, and suffered from heart problems ever since. He had also been battling against cancer for the past three years.

His funeral is at Haycombe Crematorium, Bath, on Monday at 11am, followed by a gathering at Corsham Cricket Club.