Tributes have been paid to well known doctor William Parker who defeated a smallpox epidemic in Brighton.

Dr Parker, 88, who was Medical Officer of Health for Brighton from 1951 to 1974, had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease and died on New Year's Eve.

He leaves a widow, Margaret, and two sons, William and Steven.

The couple married in 1948 and had lived in Brighton for more than 50 years.

Dr Parker was an outspoken character who constantly worked on promoting his message to improve public health and was nationally well respected in his field.

His widow said: "He had a full and varied life. Since he died quite a few people have said he was such a kind man and a well liked doctor.

"He worked very hard and really cared about people."

Dr Parker received national acclaim for defeating the Brighton smallpox epidemic of 1951.

He also created the Brighton cardiac ambulance service, probably the first in Britain, and an early scheme for cervical cancer screening.

He was outspoken in championing public health needs and would often make life uncomfortable for the establishment, leading to him being labelled the "Brian Clough of medicine".

In 1971 he dumped 142 miniature coffins on the table in the middle of a council debate to represent the number of people who had died in the area that year from lung cancer.

Labour councillor Francis Tonks, who was a councillor in the Seventies, said: "He was a very helpful and well respected man."

A date for the funeral has not been set.