Tributes after death of long-serving policeman

A QUIET gentleman and long serving retired policeman has died at the age of 85.

Mr Geoffrey Alton, known as Geoff, served at Burnley Police Station all his career, which started in 1948 when he joined the Burnley Borough Police Force.

Born in Trawden, he started work at Rolls Royce in Barnoldswick before briefly becoming a Bevan Boy in the South Yorkshire coalfield.

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During his police career, Mr Alton, of Bouldsworth Road, Pike Hill, fulfilled a number of roles as beat officer, on motor patrol and a brief attachment to CID.

After being promoted he was station sergeant in Burnley where he went on to work in the Prosecutions Office for 10 years.

Married to Margaret for 62 years, the couple had two children, David and Stuart, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Margaret said: “Everyone has commented on how much of a gentleman Geoff was. He was a quiet man and very caring.

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“After retiring he had more time to spend on his love of playing the piano, eventually gaining a teaching diploma. He went on to master the electric organ with the same high level of proficiency, freely helping others who were trying to develop their own techniques.”

Mr Alton also enjoyed listening to music and regularly attended concerts at St Peter’s Church and organ recitals wherever they were staged in and around Burnley.

His funeral was held at Burnley Crematorium on Tuesday.