THE family of York skip firm founder Dick Rhodes have paid tribute to the hard-working haulier who built his "empire" near the city and never liked to leave it for long.

Mr Rhodes, who founded Rhodes Skip Hire from scratch before selling the business in 1996, died from a heart attack at his home at Hopgrove on Saturday, aged 68.

He was so happy with his home, which was also the base for his successful business, that he would never go away on holiday.

"He always said he liked to keep one eye on York Minster," said his daughter Jayne.

His son David added: "He was very proud of what he had achieved. He was like a king in his castle."

Mr Rhodes's wife, Mary, was halfway through a six-week trip to Australia when she was told of his sudden death. She immediately returned to York to be with the family.

Mr Rhodes, who loved horse and greyhound racing and was an avid boxing fan, spent 13 years as an independent haulier with a tipper wagon before he went on to develop his firm, which eventually became a nine-wagon operation involving his whole family.

Originally from the Walmgate area of York, he has three sisters, Betty, Marina and Jean, an elder brother Arthur, who died four years ago, and four grandchildren.

Jayne said: "He had a fabulous dry sense of humour and he loved a laugh and a joke. He was one of York's great characters.

"He called a spade a spade. There was never any messing with my father. He would tell you exactly what he thought there and then, whether it offended or not and you could either like it or lump it."

Even after his retirement Mr Rhodes continued to be out and about selling soil all over York.

A large turnout is expected for his funeral, which takes place at St Lawrence's Church, in York, on Wednesday next week.

Updated: 10:38 Friday, April 13, 2001