SKIPTON has lost one of its characters with the passing of Tom Drake, at the age of 94.

Tom was born in 1921 at High Street, where his parents Thomas and Bessie Drake ran a butcher's shop.

He was the youngest of five children.

His father died in 1933, and a year later Tom's mother sold the business. From his early teens, Tom worked on local farms, a job he loved. He later worked at butcher's Dewhurst and then as a meter reader for the Yorkshire Electricity Board. He lived in Bright Street, Skipton, from about 1940, and never married.

Tom had a great interest in anything to do with old Skipton and had a huge store of memories and stories.

His mother, born Bessie Hill, came from Millom in Cumbria and Tom always had a fascination with the town and his mother's family.

He was a keen golfer and won many trophies over the years. He once bought a Lambretta scooter and went off on his own to travel around the south of France on it. Nothing fazed him.

Until about two years or so ago, Tom would walk into town and back every day to meet up with friends. He loved company and had regular calling places where he was welcomed with a cup of tea and a chat.

When the Co-op was still open, Tom and his friends would gather there and put the world to rights before heading off to the store's cafe or to Bizzie Lizzie's for lunch.

His friend and neighbour, Janice Procter, said: "Tom was one of a kind and he lived his life as he wanted – who could ask for more?"

The funeral took place at Skipton's Waltonwrays Crematorium yesterday.