A founding member of a celebrated conservation society died yesterday aged 92.

John Hepworth who co-founded The Friends of Forster Country in 1989 to protect the area of Stevenage lived in and used as a setting by author E.M.Forster, died on Sunday afternoon at Lister Hospital.

Current chairman John Spiers said: “John’s boundless energy has been one of the prime factors in building the organisation and keeping it on the map.

“Apart from his work with FoFC, John was well known in Stevenage. He retained his interest in geology which was the field in which he worked for the UK Government on many overseas assignments and in recent years took a lively interest in the arts and music.

“He will be missed by all of us but also remembered as a friend who gave much to enrich our lives.”