A FORMER mayor of March, Gordon Southwell, of Burrowmoor Road, March, died on Saturday at Peterborough District Hospital after suffering respiratory and heart problems. He was 78. Mr Southwell grew up in March and was educated at Hereward Boys' School. Hi

A FORMER mayor of March, Gordon Southwell, of Burrowmoor Road, March, died on Saturday at Peterborough District Hospital after suffering respiratory and heart problems. He was 78.Mr Southwell grew up in March and was educated at Hereward Boys' School. His working life was spent as a locomotive driver. He was one of the last people to drive steam trains and had featured in a video of the railway. For his National Service, Mr Southwell served with the Army. He was posted to Egypt and Palestine and where he was a staff car driver.Ill-health forced him to take early retirement, but he took up many local positions for the benefit of the community. For about 11 years he was a member of March Town Council and Fenland District Council. He was mayor in 1993. For 11 years with his wife Jean he actively helped out at the Disabled Handicraft Group - the group ran until April 1999. When Young People March was set up, Mr Southwell and his wife acted as trustees for the group. He was also a governor at All Saints' and Burrowmoor schools.Mr Southwell was a member of March Conservative Club and a former member of March Golf Club. Recently, he had become a member of March Probus Club but was unable to attend many meetings.He had been married for 58 years to Jean, and also leaves a son Les, of Sandhurst, Surrey, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.The funeral service will take place next Friday at St Peter's Church, March (11.30am), followed by cremation at Peterborough.