A former councillor and toy shop owner who campaigned for the protection of the countryside has died aged 75.

Norman Machan, a chartered accountant, who lived in Roedean and Rottingdean and had stints on Brighton Borough Council in the early Eighties and the Nineties, died in Worthing Hospital after being taken ill at Easter.

Mr Machan ran the chain of Selina Squirrel toy shops in Brighton, which had branches in Duke's Lane, St James's Street, and Whitehawk Road in the Seventies and Eighties.

He was a Brighton Conservative councillor from 1979 to 1983, representing the former Queen's Park ward and serving on the finance, tourism, parks and environment committees.

He had a further stint on the council from 1990 to 1994 representing Rottingdean, when he led a march down High Street in protest at plans to close the library.

He publicly put his Albion season ticket up for sale when the Albion sold Peter Ward in 1980.

Mr Machan leaves his wife of 49 years, Dilys, two children, Martin and Meriel, and five grandchildren.

The funeral will be at St Margaret's Church, Rottingdean, on Wednesday April 24 at 2.30pm.