Tributes have been paid to a former council leader and county councillor who has passed away at the age of 86.
John Dobson died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn on Tuesday, January 23.
Former North West Norfolk MP Lord Bellingham said: "John was a truly remarkable public servant.
"First he had a very distinguished career in the army, culminating in his role as defence attache in Mexico.
"He then served as borough councillor for the North Coast ward for many years, including eight as an excellent and highly-regarded leader.
"As well as overseeing numerous transformational projects across the borough, he also played a vital role in winning the campaign to stop the Saddlebow incinerator.
"He will be hugely missed far and wide and my thoughts and prayers are with his widow, Hazel and all his family at this difficult time."
READ MORE: John Dobson - a councillor who loved a battle
Mr Dobson, who lived at Old Hunstanton, was first elected to West Norfolk Council in 1999 and became leader in 2003. He stepped down because of illness in 2007, but later returned to the political fray as a county councillor.
As well as opposing what he saw as a politically-motivated move towards a Norfolk unitary authority, he called in the controversial decision to build an incinerator near King's Lynn – and was thrown out of the Conservative group for doing so.
Describing the dilemma of whether he represented the views of his constituents or the party he was elected to represent, he said at the time: "You are there to represent the views of your constituents. If you don't, then you are an imposter."
Mr Dobson had previously reached the rank of Colonel in the military, serving as a Russian expert in Soviet-occupied Germany.
In 1991, Mr Dobson was made defence attaché to Iraq, advising the UK government on defence issues in the country.
But Saddam Hussein banned British diplomats from the country in the lead-up to the First Gulf War, so Mr Dobson was redeployed as defence attaché to Mexico, Guatemala and Cuba.
His funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here