ONE of Leominster's sporting pioneers has died at the age of 92.

George Preece, who died on July 4 at Leominster Residential and Nursing Home in the Bargates, encouraged the development of swimming and youth football in the town in the years following the Second World War.

Cheshire-born George, who moved to the area when his father took up a post as a gamekeeper on a local estate, joined the merchant navy before his 15th birthday.

But, after serving in the air sea rescue service in Gibraltar during the war, he returned to Leominster and, as a staunch Labour supporter, was elected to the borough council.

While a councillor, after trying unavailingly to persuade the council to form a swimming club in the town, he arranged a public meeting at which he was elected chairman of a club which evolved into the now highly-successful Leominster Kingfishers Club.

George also formed and managed the Leominster Minors - a team so successful in one season that it was unbeaten in cup and league - before moving on to join Leominster Town. There he did virtually every job over the years, from ballboy to manager to chairman to president, even rolling up his sleeves to clear the cow pats off the pitch before the game started.

When the borough council took Leominster Town's ground for industrial building, George tried for years to find the club a permanent home and, although he didn't succeed, it was a proud moment when he was invited to attend the first match played at Bridge Street Sports Centre.

"When the Bridge Street facilities were complete, I took George down in his wheel chair to have a look around," said his son-in-law, former Leominster mayor Peter McCaull. "When we left, he had tears in his eyes and said that he never thought he would live long enough to see Leominster with such wonderful sports facilities. It was his dream come true."

George spent his working life as an insurance agent with Wesleyan and General after the war. To many of his clients, friends and sporting associates, he will be remembered as 'Matchstick George' from a habit, developed after he gave up smoking, of chewing a match.

George's funeral service took place earlier this week.