A popular civic leader has died of legionnaires' disease while on holiday in Malta with his wife.

Councillor Ivor Brampton, a former mayor of Bexhill, fell ill with suspected pneumonia on Tuesday.

Relatives and friends were told he had died from a heart attack brought on by the disease early yesterday.

Mr Brampton, who was 77, was leader of Rother District Council and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex.

David Powell, Rother's chief executive, said the news of Mr Brampton's death had come as a terrible shock.

He said: "I feel great sadness. Ivor will be sorely missed. He was a major figure in Rother and was involved in many issues and supported many organisations in Bexhill."

Mr Brampton had recently announced he would step down as leader in May and colleagues say he was looking forward to his retirement.

Nick Ramus, chairman of Rother District Council, said: "The news came as a total shock to me. I have known him for the last six years, and have worked closely with him for the past two years.

"I tended to look up to him especially in tricky situations. He was an easy person to get on with. You could talk to him about anything, and he was the same with everyone."

Mr Brampton had been president of Bexhill and Battle Conservative Association since 1995.

Walter Bell, chairman of the association, said: "Ivor was a man who took his public responsibilities very seriously and he will be sorely missed by all of his many friends in the association."

Mr Brampton, a former RAF pilot, was also president of the local branch of Royal Air Forces Association.

He hit the headlines in 1983 when he ran barefoot down the road to catch a man who broke into his house.