Tributes have been paid to a former Croydon Mayor who has died aged 75.

Derek Millard represented Purley ward between 1986 and 2010 and became Mayor of Croydon in May 2007.

A career in financial services saw Mr Millard become a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries and an Associate of America's Society of Actuaries.

He initially trained as an actuary for an insurance company and his career took him to live in Canada for two years before, he became a stockbroker.

During his years of public service, Mr Millard served on a number of committees including Fairfield planning, and technical services, which he chaired in 1991/92.

A keen Rotarian, Mr Millard was president of the Rotary Club of Purley and he was a governor of Woodcote High School for 15 years.

Mr Millard is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Bunty, and a son Andrew and daughter Sheena.

Leader of the Council, councillor Mike Fisher said: "It’s always sad to lose a former colleague, and to lose Derek in quick succession to the death of Pat Hecks doubles the blow.

"Derek was a well-respected councillor and former Mayor, who, apart from a couple of years in Canada, lived his whole life in Purley, so he was an integral and well-known member of the community he served for so long.

"The thoughts of all of us are with Bunty, and her and Derek’s children and grandchildren."