TRIBUTES are pouring in after the death of Chesham's longest serving town councillor Dr Arnold Baines.

Cllr Baines, a former mayor of Chesham and member of Chiltern District Council, died on Sunday evening aged 79 after a long period of ill health.

His sister-in-law, Maisie, who helped care for him at the family home in Eskdale Road, Chesham, was by his side with her husband and daughter when he died at Wycombe Hospital.

She said: "He just took three breaths and went. He knew we were there."

Cllr Baines's niece, Lorna, added: "Chesham was his life. That's all he thought about, the town.

"Chesham came first."

Cllr Baines was born in Chesham on October 4, 1921, and attended Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham before going on to Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he gained a first class degree in mathematics.

After a wartime spell serving as a statistician and a subsequent return to Cambridge, he pursued a career in the civil service.

He was elected to the Urban District Council (UDC), now Chesham Town Council, in 1953.

The historian was highly respected among fellow Liberal Democrat councillors and opposition members for his council work and endless knowledge on the history of Chesham.

At a full meeting of Chesham Town Council on Monday, fellow councillors held a minute's silence in tribute to an "extraordinary" man who worked tirelessly for Chesham during his 47 years on the town council.

Cllr Derek Lacey said he was extremely saddened by the loss of a "great friend" and added: "I think part of Chesham has died".

Cllr Alan Bacon commented: "We can reflect that Arnold was loved and respected by people in the town.

"Arnold loved Chesham and the people here so much.

"It was his town. For him nothing was too good for Chesham."

In a letter to the Baines family, Mike Kennedy, Chesham town clerk, wrote: "It has been my privilege to serve on the council with Arnold.

"His service to the town in which he lived, loved and served on town, district and county councils, was outstanding.

"His long and distinguished service as the town council's representative on the many local charities and other organisations in Chesham over the years has been phenomenal."

A permanent reminder of Cllr Baines's lifetime of work for Chesham was created after Baines Walk, the path linking Chesham High Street to the Town Hall, was named after him.

Cllr Baines's funeral will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, Red Lion Street, Chesham, at 2.45pm on Tuesday.