One of Suffolk’s most respected politicians and community leaders has died suddenly at the age of 82.

Malcolm Minns was twice mayor of Felixstowe and also chairman of Suffolk Coastal District Council, and a leading campaigner in the long battle for an all-weather pitch to safeguard the future of Felixstowe Hockey Club.

Mr Minns was passionate about his adopted town of Felixstowe, to which he and his wife Josephine retired in 1991 after selling their post office and shop business in the heart of Ufford.

He fought long and hard on many issues, and did all he could to promote the town, its organisations and activities, and its tourism trade.

Mr Minns, who had been suffering declining health and had infections in his toes which restricted his walking, died unexpectedly of a coronary artery thrombosis.

Mrs Minns, 79, said he had come downstairs at their Felixstowe home complaining of chest pains but would not let her call an ambulance.

She said: “He sat on a chair and held my hand and about five or six minutes later he stopped breathing.

“We did CPR and called an ambulance and the paramedics did their best but could not revive him.”

Born in Bury St Edmunds, he attended the King Edward VI Grammar School and after leaving worked for a short while in the treasurer’s department of the borough council and then for the AC Nielsen global marketing research company.

Later he worked for 21 years for MacFisheries as a manager, based in London, before moving back to Suffolk.

His retirement saw him venture into politics as a Conservative member of Felixstowe Town Council and Suffolk Coastal, serving on the two authorities for 15 years.

One former colleague called him “a thorough gentleman but one who stood no nonsense”.

Mrs Minns said her husband could be outspoken but was always passionate about the town.

She said: “He certainly made very pointed remarks at times but was prepared to set aside party lines and always to work for what was best for Felixstowe. He wanted to put the town on the map more.”

A funeral service will be held for Mr Minns, who leaves a son Andrew, daughters Julia and Lucy, and six grandchildren, at St Michael’s Church, Bracknell, at noon on December 6.