David Gosling - the man who was the driving force behind the creation of the Riverside Park in St Neots - has passed away, aged 86.

Mr Gosling, who was born in Ilkley, in Yorkshire, was a district engineer and surveyor for the former St Neots Urban District Council, from 1963 to 1973, and director of technical services at Huntingdonshire District Council, from 1970 to 1976.

He was responsible for many environmental and highways improvements during his time with both authorities, but his family say the project he was proudest of was the part he play in the development of the St Neots park.

He has been described as the driving force behind the project, designing and supervised the development and he also supervised the development of the riverside park in Huntingdon. He was also a member of Wyboston Sailing Club during the time he lived in St Neots.

He later moved to Southampton where he was director of technical services at Eastleigh. After his retirement in 1988, he moved to Wales with his wife Sheila, where he bought a smallholding and farmed sheep for a number of years. He spent his final years in the village of Aberporth and passed away peacefully at Carmarthen Hospital after a short illness on May 1. A funeral service was held at Bryn Seion Chapel Aberporth on May 9.

Mr Gosling leaves his wife Sheila to whom he was married for almost 65 years and three children, Ian, Susan and Nigel; 13 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren, He also had two other children whose lives were tragically cut short by cancer, Jennifer who died in 2010 aged 53, and Richard who died in 2013, aged 54 .