Politician dies after long illness

A Local Liberal politician, who was awarded the MBE for services to Rochdale, has died following a long illness.

Walter Ridgeway, 89, was a long-serving councillor in the Deeplish ward before it was amalgamated with Brimrod when the Rochdale Metropolitan Borough was formed in 1973 and a former president of the Rochdale Liberal party.

He helped former Rochdale MP Sir Cyril Smith during his successful election campaigns and helped current MP Paul Rowen during his early political career as a Brimrod and Deeplish councillor.