GEORGE Mortimer, one of York's finest sporting all-rounders before and after the Second World War, has died in Acomb Gables Nursing Home following a long illness. He was 84.

Mr Mortimer, who suffered from stomach cancer and Alzheimers, was an outstanding amateur footballer and cricketer. A prolific goal scorer, he played at centre forward for York Railway Institute when they had the best team in York and district for many years.

He was in teams which won the division one championship of the York and District League and also the York FA Senior Cup. He played for RI when they won the Murray Wilson Cup, a railways competition, on a number of occasions.

Mr Mortimer, who continued playing until the late 1950s, had several games for York City Reserves in the Midland League. When his playing days ended, he served on the RI committee for many years.

He was also a fine cricket player and as an all-rounder was in the RI side which won the Myers Burnell Cup. In later years he took up bowls and was a York RI Bowls Club finalist for the Walter West Trophy.

Mr Mortimer, born in York, attended Poppleton Road Primary School and Nunthorpe School, where he played in the First XI football team when only 15.

He saw war service in the REME and was chosen to play for North Eastern Command cricket team. He served in the Eighth Army in Alexandria, Palestine, Tobruk, Aden, Tripoli, Naples and Rome, before going to Germany and Belgium.

After being demobilised in 1946 Mr Mortimer returned to the Carriage Works, where he had begun as an upholsterer before the war, later becoming foreman in the trimming shop. He moved to the British Railway Engineering Work Study Office before retiring.

He leaves a wife, Florence, a son David and two grandchildren. The funeral service is at York Crematorium tomorrow at 11am followed by a reception at RI Bowls Club.

Updated: 11:17 Wednesday, March 10, 2004