The man who is believed to have started North Berwick raft race, Ronald Coates-Walker, has died at the age of 94.

Mr Coates-Walker, known as Ronnie, was born in Hull on May 16, 1920.

Aged 21, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) and served on a number of vessels, including HMS Curacoa, HMS Hoy and HMS Cyclops.

He narrowly avoided a missile strike in 1943 when he was First Lieutenant on HMS Universal, and his long-standing work with the RNVR continued as he served on HMS Trusty in 1945.

Mr Coates-Walker was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his bravery while on patrol in the Mediterranean Sea.

Upon leaving the RNVR, he joined confectionary makers Rowntree’s. While their head office was based in York, he was seconded to work for Duncan’s of Edinburgh.

And that move, made in 1959, saw the family relocate to North Berwick.

Ronnie, along with wife Louise, became active members in the local community, and the family bought Inchgarry House to run as a hotel.

He played an instrumental role in having the town’s lifeboat house reinstated and is also credited as being the man who began the town raft race almost 30 years ago. His involvement in that event continued into his 90s, as he was the guest of honour at the 2013 event.

Following his wife’s death, Ronnie enjoyed travelling, including visits to Auckland to visit son Timothy and his family, and he took up golf, as part of the Elderly Gentleman’s Golf Society.

Son Simon described his father “a throughly nice chap, who enjoyed a long and happy life”.

He added: “The lifeboat was his big contribution locally and he was liked by a lot of people.” Mr Coates-Walker is survived by sons Simon, Roger, Jonathan, Timothy and Christopher, and seven grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held next Friday (November 14), at Seafield Crematorium, followed by a service at St. Baldred’s Church, North Berwick, at noon.