A LEADING light of the Labour Party and politics in Harrow has died.

Cyril Bernard Harrison, 80, was born in 1926 to Lily and William Harrison. His older sister, Josie, survives him.

Apart from the last nine months, Cyril lived his entire life in Harrow, attending Vaughan Road School in Harrow and then Kilburn Polytechnic.

Cllr Navin Shah, leader of Harrow Council Labour group, said: "Cyril was born and bred in Harrow and made an enormous contribution to Harrow in several areas of public life. He had a great capacity to provide leadership and make things happen.

"He gave many hours of his free time working for the people of Harrow."

In 1942, Cyril met Marjorie at a fair in Headstone Recreation Ground. They were aged 16 and 15 respectively and embarked on a 57-year relationship. They were together until Marjorie's sudden death in 2000.

Lynne, their first child, was born in 1949 and the couple had three more children, Lesley, Sue and Mark.

Cyril, a staunch socialist, refused to wear the mayoral robes while he held the position from 1998 to 1999. He also led Harrow Council from 1971 to 1974 and led his political party for 15 years during Margaret Thatcher's dismantling of the unions and mass privatisation of public services.

Alderman Cllr Keith Thoms, said: "I was his deputy mayor for a year and he was an amazing man who had a profound effect on Harrow. The leisure centre was something he instigated and he laid the foundation for 1,500 council houses in the borough, he did so much.

"He was the sort of person who did in two days what it took someone else years to do."

As a young boy, Cyril took up scouting and eventually became a scout master and deputy district commissioner.

He joined the Labour Party in the 1940s and devoted much of his spare time to politics - Cyril spent more than 34 years on Harrow Council representing Wealdstone North Ward.

Cyril was a prime influence in many of the changes that happened in Harrow during his political career, notably the building of the first ever Leisure Centre. His tenacity and desire to introduce comprehensive education into Harrow remarkably resulted in him achieving agreement from the then secretary for education, Margaret Thatcher.

Harrow West MP Gareth Thomas said: "Cyril was a great servant for Harrow, an example to those of us in politics, he had imagination, a real can-do attitude and he will be sorely missed."

Cyril and Marjorie were founder members of the Harrow Charity Marathon Run Association and both completed the first event - the event is still held today as a half marathon.

Cyril grew copious amounts of vegetables at his holiday home in Norfolk - spinach, tomatoes and runner beans were staple diets for all of those visiting. Cyril's grandchildren have very fond memories of holidays there.

Harrow East MP, Tony McNulty, said: "I have known and worked with Cyril for the last 30 years and he was an absolute giant of local politics."

In retirement Cyril indulged his love of travelling and he and Marjorie embarked on many adventures but Cyril suffered kidney failure after a trip to India and received a kidney transplant in 1996. Afterwards he fundraised for St Mary's Hospital, Paddington.

Cyril was president of Wealdstone & Harrow Swimming Club for many years. He was also a magistrate for more than 25 years and vice-chairperson of the division.

Cyril's son, Mark, said: "It is impossible to sum up his active life in so short a time and there will be many other organisations of which he had membership, and to which he made a difference. And we remember him most for his more prominent associations with the Labour Party, the refereeing world, scouting and camping and his love of Norfolk."