A former Wiltshire tennis champion has died in Swindon at the age of 69.

John Barnett, who played for the Wiltshire tennis team during the 1960s and 1970s, died at the Prospect Hospice.

He also played badminton for the Pinehurst club in the Swindon and District League and cricket for BR in the 1950s.

For many years he was a member of the Swindon Hard Courts tennis club and was a member of the side which won the county's inter-club championships for several years.

He also won many local tournaments partnered by Ian Fraser and Laurie Selby.

"He was one of the most determined players that I ever played with," said Laurie Selby, who partnered John to victory in many county matches.

"John just did not know when to give up and we were invariably the last players on court because he would just keep on fighting," he added.

Geoffrey Owen, president of the Wiltshire LTA, said: "John was one of the finest team players ever to play for the Wiltshire men's team.

"I remember him in both the County Week doubles and in the winter singles as a fierce but utterly sportsmanlike competitor, never giving up in a rally until the last ball was struck.

"In the last few years it was a pleasure for me to meet up with John again, playing doubles every Sunday morning. He still had the same zest for the game and was a delight to play with or against.

"The last game he played was at our court in Ramsbury in the summer. Even though he was breathing with increasing difficulty, he was running around as energetically as ever and competing hard for every point. All his Wiltshire team-mates will remember him with greatest affection."

John and his widow, Rachel who was deputy head at Eldene Infants' school, kept a koi carp pond and were officers of the Koi Carp Association. He was also a skilled model-maker.

John started his working life as a coach builder at British Rail before going on to become a toolmaker at the Swindon Rover car plant.

His funeral will be at Kingsdown Crematorium tomorrow at 2.30pm.