A TROWBRIDGE man who was well known in the town for running the old open air swimming pool has died at the age of 66.

Clifford Skinner, of Brown Street died at home on Monday after a battle with cancer.

Born in 1940, the youngest of a large family, he went to Nelson Haden School (now the Clarendon College) and left at 15 to begin work as an apprentice plumber.

In his mid 20s he found his ideal job running the swimming pool, which was at the current Tesco site in County Way.

During 16 years at the pool he became a popular figure and would often hold end of season parties for underprivileged children.

After leaving the pool he went to work as a caretaker at Trowbridge Civic Hall until taking early retirement in the mid 1990s. He was heavily involved in the town carnival, and led the procession on several occasions.

Mr Skinner leaves two sons, Paul born in 1968 and Toby born in 1973 and two grandchildren five-year-old Jake and Elle-May, two.

The funeral takes place at 2pm on Monday at West Wilts Crematorium, Semington, followed by a wake at Gloucester Road Conservative Club in Trowbridge.