A distinguished former mayor who reached high office in the Ministry of Defence has died at the age of 86.

Hugh Braden was born in Worthing in 1923 and became the town's 75th mayor in 1991/92.

He joined the War Office in 1939 and after service in the Royal Navy resumed his civil service career, rising to become an assistant under secretary.

Friends described Mr Braden, who was educated at Worthing High School for Boys, as an “old school gentleman”.

Borough councillor and former town mayor Tom Wye said: “He was one of the nicest gentlemen I have ever met.

“He never had a bad word to say about anybody, even his political adversaries. He just got on and did his job.”

Mr Braden travelled the world with the Ministry of Defence, serving in Malaya, the Middle East, Germany and America, where he visited the White House.

He met many members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles, Princess Anne and the late Queen Mother.

The Bradens returned to Worthing in the 1970s and in 1980 he was awarded the Companionship of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Mr Braden, of Honeysuckle Lane, High Salvington, Worthing, became a Conservative borough councillor in 1983 serving the Salvington ward.

He became chairman of the planning committee and the A27 committee, which fought plans for a widened dual-carriageway through the town along the existing path of the Upper Brighton Road and Arundel Road.

During his year as mayor Mr Braden presented a £700 cheque to the Worthing branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club with an air tank on his back at the bottom of the town's Aquarena swimming pool.

He retired from the council in May 1995 and was made an honorary alderman in July of the same year.

Mr Braden, who could trace his Worthing roots back to the 17th century, leaves a widow, Phyllis, 84, whom he married in 1946, and a daughter, Pamela, 60.

No funeral arrangements have yet been made, although it was likely the service will be held at St Andrew's Church in Tarring, Worthing.