George King, Norfolk's “king of steam”, has died aged 98. Mr King was the oldest member of the Norfolk Steam Engine Club and became well known for his love of steam, as a long-serving winder of the clock at Hingham and for the amazing collections of memorabilia in his former garden at Hingham.

George King, Norfolk's “king of steam”, has died aged 98. Mr King was the oldest member of the Norfolk Steam Engine Club and became well known for his love of steam, as a long-serving winder of the clock at Hingham and for the amazing collections of memorabilia in his former garden at Hingham.

Even in his later years he loved to visit steam rallies with his son, Trevor, and had also enjoyed a trip to Dereham Station, and wherever he went he was treated as a special guest.

“He was Norfolk's king of steam,” said his other son, Les.

Mr King - who also has a daughter, Sheila - died on Wednesday at the Lincoln House Nursing Home at Swanton Morley, near Dereham.

Les said his father had greatly appreciated his care at Lincoln House.

“He always kept saying he could not have been in a better place and better looked after than he was there. He was treated very well and the staff were brilliant and he really appreciated all the people who went to see him. There was always someone there.”

Mr King also had a great love of sport, especially football, and was very fond of Wroxham and Dereham and had been delighted that both teams reached the final of the Norfolk Senior Cup at Carrow Road, which is being played later this month.

He was born at Wood Rising and had six brothers and three sisters, and the link with steam came at the age of just 14 when he started work steering a Tasca tractor between the Raynham Estate and Watton.

Over the years, he was employed by various firms, including the Wayland Timber Company at Watton and Dorlings at Thetford.

His wife, Ethel, died just before they celebrated 70 years of marriage.