DAVID Young, the man who was Bolton's longest-serving MP, has died after a long illness.

He died on New Year's Day at the Royal Bolton Hospital where he had been a patient since October. He was 74.

His widow Vera has arranged a private funeral for him in Scotland.

Mr Young was first elected to the old Bolton East seat in 1974 and then became the MP for the new Bolton South-east constituency in 1983.

He retired from political life in 1997, having failed to be re-selected by Labour party members three years earlier. Brian Iddon, the current Bolton South-east MP, became the prospective candidate.

Dr Iddon said he knew Mr Young very well and was part of his campaign team which helped him to get elected for the first time in 1974.

He said: "One of his strengths was that he had a very powerful political rhetoric.

"I remember on one occasion the main speaker at a meeting at the Albert Halls was late and David had to go on and on.

"By the time the main speaker arrived, the atmosphere was electric."

John Hartshorne, chairman of the Labour Party Local Government Committee in Bolton, said Mr Young worked very hard in his constituency.

He said: "He helped all sections in the community and the people of Bolton owe him a great debt."

The highlight of his Parliamentary career came when he became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Defence Fred Mulley, between 1977 and 1979. He visited the Falklands twice and the Middle East on many occasions.

Mr Young was born at Greenock, Scotland, and was educated at Glasgow University and St Paul's College, Cheltenham.

He worked as a history teacher and later became an insurance executive.

He joined the Labour Party in 1955 and was a former Alderman of Nuneaton Council. He was chairman of the Coventry East Labour Party in 1964-68.

He contested Parliamentary seats in South Worcestershire in 1959, Banbury in 1966 and Bath in 1970 before moving to Bolton with his first wife Grace.

The MP faced a battle in 1983 when he beat Ann Taylor by just three votes to win the nomination as candidate.

He was challenged again in 1989 by Labour councillor Frank White, but managed to hold on to his seat.

Mr Young, who lived in Harwood, was well known for his outspoken views, often conflicting with official Labour policy. He was also very critical of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government.

Last year he told the Bolton Evening News that he would never vote for Labour again because of the lack of funds for the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Despite his disillusionment with the Labour party later in life, the party said it was very grateful for his 23 years of "solid service" as an MP.

A Labour party spokesman added: "Many will remember him as an effective and diligent representative who gave sterling service to his constituents."