Green issues fighter dead

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), April 24, 2007

An environmental campaigner who was standing at the town hall elections in Newcastle has died suddenly.

Roy Hilton, who was fighting Wingrove ward for the Green Party, collapsed at his home and died later at Newcastle General Hospital.

Polling day across the city is May 3 but the election in Wingrove, where two seats are being contested, has been postponed and Civic Centre officials have now re-arranged it for June 14.

Tynemouth-born Mr Hilton, 70, who was single, lived alone in Belle Grove Terrace, Spital Tongues.

He had been a stalwart of the Green Party for many years and one of his colleagues, North East party spokesman Chris Haine, said: "He was an inspirational character. He has been our local election agent for many years and stood in virtually every election."

Tributes to Mr Hilton included one from Newcastle Central Labour MP Jim Cousins, who said: "He was a longstanding environmental campaigner and an exceptionally nice man."