THE long-serving president of the West Tyne Cricket League enjoyed life to the full during his 99 years.

Bill Foster, well-known throughout the district through his involvement in local cricket and his job as a postman for the Haydon Bridge area, passed away last Friday.

A key member of Haydon Bridge Cricket Club, both as a player and committee member, Bill became West Tyne secretary in 1978 before stepping up to become chairman in 1982.

He served in that role for 10 years, and then took up the post of president which he continued until his death.

Current league chairman Michael Baker grew up playing cricket at Haydon Bridge at a time when Bill was a prominent player, and he sang the praises of a passionate cricket fan who he very much looked up to.

He said: “I first started playing as a junior in the 1960s and he would have been in his heyday. He won the Wooding Cup in 1962 for a bowling performance in Allendale, which he reminded many people about!

“He was the West Tyne League’s longest serving president in the modern era, and every time we had the AGM and he was re-elected, he gave a little speech about being honoured, and he was very sincere about it.

“He was very proud of being associated with the West Tyne League and took up umpiring when he stopped playing; not a lot of people put back what they get from the game.

“I have known him all my life, and he was a hell of a nice guy. It’s the end of an era, and he will be sadly missed.”

Bill grew up in the west of the district, and moved to Cubstocks Farm, just north of Haydon Bridge, at the age of 20, when his parents took over his grandparents’ farm.

But Bill didn’t work on the farm, and instead became an apprentice slater for local firm Kirsopp’s before driving wagons for Haydon Bridge company Harry Watson’s.

He signed up for the Army during World War Two, where he drove wagons for the Royal Army Service Corps in North Africa.

He spent the final two years of the conflict in prisoner of war camps after being captured by the Italians.

After the war, Bill became postman for the Haydon Bridge area and served in that position right through to retirement.

Ian, the only son of Bill and his late wife Edith, said: “He reckoned he used to known everybody from Melkridge to Brokenheugh!

“He always had a wealth of stories, and I’m never going to remember them all, as there’s so many. And those were just the ones he told me – I’m sure he had even more!

“He had a good attitude on life and always wanted to help people out and do them a good turn.”

In recent years, Bill spent a lot of time with his grandson and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held next Thursday at Haydon Bridge.