A Labour Party stalwart, school teacher and sports fanatic, Mr Winfield-Chislett was the city's first citizen in 1983/84.

Today, his widow and senior city councillors have paid tribute to the 83-year-old father of six and grandfather of 14, who died yesterday.

Ellen Winfield-Chislett said: "He was a proud man and his family meant everything to him. He will be greatly missed."

She said her husband, a former councillor in Fletton and North wards, had suffered with dementia following a stroke three years ago.

North ward councillor Charles Swift, who sat on the Labour benches with Mr Winfield-Chislett in the '70s and '80s, said: "He was a man with few equals who I would describe as a true socialist. Although he was a great sports fan, he was one of those people who could win and lose. As a teacher, he commanded the respect of his pupils."

Council leader Cllr John Peach said: "On and off, I've known Ken all my life as he lived in my ward, in Highbury Street.

"He was certainly a very honest, upstanding man of integrity, who always worked hard for his constituents. He believed in the principles of the Labour Party and the Labour movement."

Former Labour colleague Cllr Keith Sharp added: "Ken was a likeable man who would go out of his way to help you. But he had strong views and could be stubborn. He would fight his corner rather than back down."

After growing up in Wisbech, Mr Winfield-Chislett trained as a pilot with the RAF, and won the RAF Training Command middleweight boxing championship held in Rhodesia.

Mr Winfield's teaching career began at Old Fletton Grammar School, before he moved to Orton Longueville School, where he taught PE.

He became a councillor in 1970 and was the chairman of Peterborough City Council's leisure and amenities committee.

With sport among his lifelong interests, Mr Winfield-Chislett served on the national executive of the English Schools Athletics Association, was the secretary of the Anglian Schools Athletics Association and ran an adult swimming class at Peterborough Regional Pool encouraging elderly people to take up the sport.