TRIBUTES have been left to a tireless community campaigner who was still active until shortly before he died aged 91.

Les Dowie, of Church Road, Shoebury, died following a short illness on October 2 and his funeral was held on Wednesday at St George’s Church.

Friends and colleagues described him as a man in love with Shoebury, where he has lived since the age of ten, and a tireless campaigner on the Shoebury Residents’ Association almost until the end of his life.

Shoebury councillor, Anne Chalk, said: “I’ve known Les for 30 years.

“We were both on the residents’ association committee, and I have been running a campaign for him to move the taxi rank outside Shoebury Health Centre, which I will continue to do.

“He’d had some trouble walking lately, but he still carried on and still drove his car – which he wanted to park outside the surgery.

“He was quite a character and I shall certainly miss him.”

John Budge, 71, was also a member of the Shoebury Residents’ Association with Mr Dowie.

He said: “He always came across as somebody who, although he had quite strong opinions, would always listen to others, even if he didn’t always agree with them.

“I am very sorry to lose him – he will be missed, there is absolutely no doubt about that.”

An auxiliary officer with Thames Coastguard for 25 years, Mr Dowie remembered the January 1953 floods, and last year warned the council against moving tonnes of mud from the Southend cliffs slip to build a seawall on Shoebury – calling the idea a “terrible mistake".

He said this was because, during the 1953 floods, seawater came through the town’s pipes and drains rather than over the seawall – which he said was an adequate defence and would be cheaper to repair than to build a new one.

Shoebury councillor Mike Assenheim said this knowledge and experience was invaluable to Shoebury and would be greatly missed.

He said: “He was a great member of the public who always had a contribution to make.

“His great knowledge of Shoebury and the surrounding areas was of great use, from when the Garrison was coming up for planning from the late Nineties, to the present day. He was always there to give his opinion.”