Former county councillor Brian Hodgson has died, it was announced tonight.

Mr Hodgson, a 69-year-old father of three, died yesterday in Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital a week after being admitted with suspected heart problems, Colin Carritt, the membership of the Witney constituency Labour party, said.

Mr Hodgson, of Greenfield Crescent in Stonesfield, was a former Labour group leader on the county council, representing Charlbury, and was the current chairman of the constituency party. He lost his council seat in 2005.

Mr Carritt said: "He was a man who, regardless of what political party he represented, always worked very hard for his constituents in Charlbury.

"I know there were many people who did not share his politics but voted for him on that basis.

"He did a tremendous amount of work promoting sign language for deaf people."

Mr Hodgson is survived by his wife Penny.