A SPORTS physiotherapist, who once treated Colchester United footballers and Essex County Cricket Club players, has died at the age of 93.

Ray Cole was also a Colchester councillor for ten years.

A qualified nurse, he also had a long association with various aspects of the NHS in Colchester including serving as a governor of Colchester Hospital.

For ten years he was chairman of Colchester Citizens Advice Bureau, and a governor of St John’s Green and Gosbecks primary schools. He also helped start the West Mersea beach hut watch.

Mr Cole is survived by his wife, Erika, to whom he was married for 52 years, daughter Victoria and granddaughter Amelia.

Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell paid tribute to Mr Cole.

He said: “Ray was a real character. Strong-minded, he had no time for the straitjacket of party politics which was evidenced when he quit the Conservative Party to join the Social Democratic Party, which in due course merged with the Liberal Party to become the Liberal Democrats.”

Former council leader Steve Cawley said: "Ray was physio for Essex Cricket Club when he was unfortunate enough to badly damage an Achilles tendon in the first Councillors v Borough Staff cricket match, which resulted in Ray being in plaster for some weeks. That made the front page of the Gazette.

“On a later occasion Ray was invited to serve as physio to the Pakistan test team on their tour to the West Indies.

“Unfortunately the offer was withdrawn amongst a wave of anti-British sentiment following England captain Mike Gatting’s infamous contretemps with the Pakistani umpire Shakoor Rana.”

Mr Cole was born in 1928. He was an Air Raid Patrol (ARP) messenger in the Second World War, riding on his bike in the blackout.

He became a State Registered Nurse and later a State Registered Mental Nurse. He then worked in physiotherapy in hospitals.

There then came a 40-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, in sales and marketing.

He retained his interest as a sports physiotherapist. On moving to Colchester, he became physio with Colchester United. He was then approached by Essex County Cricket Club.

The funeral will take place at Colchester Crematorium on Monday at 11am.