One of Norfolk's best-known sporting characters, former Norwich City secretary Bert Westwood, has died.Mr Westwood, who died on Boxing Day at the age of 89, was secretary at Carrow Road from 1959 to 1981.

One of Norfolk's best-known sporting characters, former Norwich City secretary Bert Westwood, has died.

Mr Westwood, who died on Boxing Day at the age of 89, was secretary at Carrow Road from 1959 to 1981.

He was involved on the administration side of football from the age of 15. Born in Staffordshire, he was player-secretary of Stafford Town, secretary of the Brimingham Referees' Association and joint secretary of the Birmingham and Stratford-on-Avon FA.

He became a Football League referee and linesman after the second world war, during which he was in the Royal Air Force.

As a league official he visited most grounds in the Football League - and ironically was the referee when Norwich City suffered an ignominious FA Cup defeat by non-league Bedford Town in the 1950s.

Soon after City's famous run 1958-59 run to the FA Cup semi-finals, Mr Westwood became Norwich secretary.

Among his many appointments in Norfolk he was match secretary of Norfolk FA, chairman of the county referees' association and president of the breakaway Wensum Referees.

He was also a magistrate and well known locally for his involvement in bowls - he wrote columns for the EDP and Evening News for many years.

Current Canaries secretary Kevan Platt, who worked with Mr Westwood in the last 18 months of his time at the club, said: “I liked Bert a lot. He was a great character - one of the old school.”

Mr Westwood's funeral is at St Faith's Crematorium on January 8 at 10.15am. Flowers may be sent to Allcock Family Funeral Services, Falcon House, 96a City Road, Norwich.