Tributes have been paid to a man who dedicated his life to helping others.

John Head died on Tuesday at the age of 77 at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Mr Head was still recovering from a heart operation he underwent last year and then contracted both pneumonia and coronavirus.

He was known in West Cumbria for his charitable work with the Rotary Club of Workington.

His good friend of over 20 years Hughie Stamper paid tribute to Mr Head.

“He would do anything for anybody, he would look after anybody in need of help, that’s the sort of fellow he was.

“Anything that was going on in Workington, he was involved in, he was Mr Workingon.”

Mr Head, who lived at Derwent Bank, Seaton, was born in Workington and his father owned a butcher shop on Pow Street.

He went to St John’s School and then worked for the Coal Board in sales.

He later worked at the Workington Brewery and then Jennings in Cockermouth.

Mr Head became the first chairman of the Allerdale community safety partnership group in the late 1990s.

Mr Stamper, who was a chief inspector at the time, said: “He really helped the police with reducing crime and disorder.

“he stayed on as a chairman for around three years, it wasn’t just a token gesture, he threw himself into it.”

Mr Head was president of the Rotary Club of Workington in 2009-10.

He was a key player in organising successful events such as Paint The Town Red and Liverpool Legends, raising thousands of pounds for local charities, but he also built relationships with local schools, including Mayfield, and other organisations.

During the 2009 floods he was one of the first people to head to Cockermouth to help those affected.

Mr Stamper said: “From that experience at Cockermouth on the first day, John formed a partnership between the Rotary Club of Workington and Impact Housings Furniture Project.

“That continued until June 2010 supplying food, clothing and household goods. Anyone affected from Eamont Bridge to Workington was helped.

“He was instrumental in obtaining around £120,000 to run the project from various charitable bodies.”

Mr Head was also the mind behind a popular Santa’s Grotto in Workington, after town centre businesses pulled out of organising it, and impersonated Father Christmas for the children on a number of occasions.

Mr Stamper said: “He just couldn’t bare the thought of the children not being able to visit Santa and he didn’t want to disappoint them.”

Mr Head leaves daughter Caroline, son-in-law Tony, grandchildren Chris and Rosie and brother Mike.

A memorial service is due to be held once restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic are lifted.