TRIBUTES have been paid to a former mayor and civic leader who a political colleague described as "1,000 per cent Kidderminster".

Norman Broome, who died on Tuesday last week, aged 78, was a leading public figure and a strong presence in the town, friends said.

He will be honoured at a civic funeral next Wednesday at St Mary's Church in Kidderminster.

Mr Broome, who was mayor of the town in 1976 and 1985, had just returned home from Husum, Kidderminster's twin town, before his death.

He was chairman of Kidderminster Husum Twinning Association for 25 years and had visited the German town with Kidderminster Carnival queen, Stacey Andrews, for the inauguration of the crocus queen of Husum for the Crocus Festival.

Association secretary, Charles Talbot, also attended and told the Shuttle/Times & News: "He and I were together in church in Husum on Psalm Sunday so it came as a particularly great shock to me."

He said Mr Broome had a "great deal of experience of human nature, of which we were the beneficiaries".

Mr Broome was a leading political figure. An active supporter of the Liberal Party during the 1970s, he was first appointed to Kidderminster Borough Council in 1970 and was chairman of Wyre Forest District Council in 1982 and 1990.

Present Liberal leader in Wyre Forest, Mike Oborski, said Mr Broome was "absolutely 1,000 per cent Kidderminster".

He added: "I don't think he had any real enemies. He believed that when you walk out of the council chamber with your political opponents you can have a laugh and a drink and a smoke. He didn't hold grudges."

He said his friend was "absolutely devoted" to the town. Mr Broome was appointed an honorary burgess of Kidderminster for his contribution to public life, a distinction only given to six other people since 1990.

He was also a president of the Kidderminster Horticultural Society, the town's pistol club and Kidderminster Carnival Committee.

Carnival committee vice-chairman, Peter Picken, said: "Norman was involved from the beginning and because of his status and commitment to the community he was our president.

"Not only was he president but he was an active member of the committee and involved in everything we did.

"We welcomed his broad knowledge and connections and his very sound advice. It is a sad loss."

Mr Broome died at Worcestershire Royal Hospital following a short illness. He leaves two daughters, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. His wife, Anne, died in 2002.

Donations in lieu of flowers should be sent to The Wyre Forest Talking Newspaper via Margaret Corneby, Tanglewood, Bednall, Stafford ST17 0YS.