A FORMER Penrith police superintendent has died aged 82.

Geoffrey Goodhind was born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on December 6, 1925. The family, including four-year-old Mr Goodhind, his two brothers, Arthur and Trevor, and two sisters, Dorothy and Marjorie, moved to Cumbria when their father became a head gardener in Windermere.

A choir boy at St Martin's Church, Bowness, Mr Goodhind joined the ATC at the age of 15 and was enlisted in the Royal Air Force in April 1943 and was posted to Canada to train as a fighter pilot. He never got his wings as the war ended just two weeks before his training was due to finish. He went on to become a physical training instructor before being demobbed in 1947.

He returned to his job as clerk at the Coal Board based in Windermere, but carried on with his work with the ATC as pilot officer. It was during 1947 that he met his wife-to-be Evelyn Sanderson, and after a two-year courtship the couple married at St Mary's Church, Windermere, in 1949.

In 1950 their daughter Lesley was born and, soon after, Mr Goodhind left the Coal Board and joined the Cumberland and Westmorland Constabulary.

He loved the variety of police work - from his early days with CID, in Kendal, postings of various types around the county, including a stint on the force's drugs squad and ending with nearly 15 years at Carleton Hall police headquarters in Penrith.

He was particularly proud of his responsibilities for royal visits, including the Queen's visit to Kendal and the Prince of Wales docking his ship at Workington. Mr Goodhind ended his career as superintendent in charge of the planning department at Carleton Hall.

By the time he retired in 1979 he had received seven commendations, a long service and good conduct medal and been awarded a certificate from the Society of Protection of Life from Fire for saving a toddler from a burning house.

Despite his busy career, he found time to maintain a golf handicap of nine and play badminton to county level with his wife. Tennis and squash were also favourites and earlier in life he had loved playing rugby.

In 1973 the couple moved to Morland and on their retirement Mr Goodhind joined Morland Parish Council and served as a sidesman and a reader for the village church.

He was a founder leader for the Eden Countryside Project, and led walks around the county. Prompted by his love of the area, he wrote, illustrated and published a booklet of walks around Morland. There was so much interest that he wrote three more, covering Appleby and Kirkby Stephen.

On his retirement, Mr Goodhind took up art and became skilled in watercolours and pastels, producing beautiful pen and ink sketches. He also founded and organised an art group in Morland for many years and coached members of Morland Youth Club in badminton.

He and Evelyn shared many interests in retirement and for 17 years they both prepared and distributed the monthly newsletters for Morland Church. Together they became founder members of Morland Amateur Dramatic Society.

Having been keen on swing in the 1940s, another love of the couple was dancing and they founded the Morland Scottish country dancing group in 1984, organising events and classes. They had a reel named in their honour and continued classes until 2006.

He was also heavily involved with the meals on wheels service, immediately volunteering to deliver them when a scheme was set up in Morland. He continued to do so for 21 years until he became too ill to drive.

Mr Goodhind was able to spend a last Christmas at home with his family, including his adored great-grandson, Louie, who is only 14 weeks old.

Mr Goodhind died at Eden Valley Hospice. A funeral service was held at Morland Church at which donations were given to Eden Valley Hospice and are estimated to be at least £500.