A FORMER commanding officer of Bolton Air Cadets has died, aged 70.

George Cox junior, who founded Firwood Concrete Products in the 1960s and the Firwood Travel Agency had been ill for some time after suffering a series of strokes.

Mr Cox had joined his father's civil engineering firm, George Cox and Son before leaving to set up his own businesses.

The concrete works, was based in Thicketford Road and Horwich and the travel agency was situated in Crompton Way before both were closed 20 years ago.

The family were well known in the Harwood and Bradshaw areas where they lived and were regulars at the Seven Stars pub.

Mr Cox, who headed the air cadets in the 1970s, then moved to mid Wales to run a pub with his wife, Celia, son Stephen and daughter-in-law Gail.

George and Celia then moved to the Isle of Wight and Mr Cox came back to Bolton after the death of his wife in December last year.

He died in Newlands Nursing Home on Thursday last week leaving a brother, Frank, son Stephen and two grandsons.

The funeral takes place at noon on Friday at St Thomas of Canterbury RC Church followed by committal at Overdale West Chapel.

Donations in lieu of flowers are asked to be sent to The Stroke Association.