A respected teacher and archaeologist has died at the age of 88.

John Smallwood passed away in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn on Tuesday, December 6.

He taught history at King Edward VII school in King's Lynn for more than 40 years, spending his entire teaching career in its imposing Edwardian building on the Gaywood Road.

Mr Smallwood, who lived in South Wootton, founded the West Norfolk and King's Lynn Archaeological Society in 1967.

Clive Bond, the group's current chair, said: "It was a ground-breaking group, aimed at learning, finding and recording archaeology well before professional archaeology was established in the county beyond the museums.

"He also spearheaded threat-led archaeology, surveying ahead of road schemes, such as along the A10 and A149, excavating significant sites, such as the later Neolithic farmstead at Redgate Hill, Hunstanton and excavating and field walking at, among other sites, Abbey Farm, Shouldham."

Former pupil Dr Bond studied A-level archaeology at KES, before going on to study archaeology at Leicester University.

"John enabled many young students to get access to university," he said. "As one of my contemporaries has said, his legacy is a generation of archaeologists.

"John was a gifted teacher and archaeologist, enthusiastic and generous in his advice and knowledge."

Mr Smallwood also taught and coached cricket, was the former chair of the Norfolk Schools Cricket Association and a South Wootton parish councillor for many years.

Dr Bond said: "I saw him in October and we had a coffee and chatted archaeology.

"He was at that stage house-bound, but still working on writing up a field survey from Burnham. He was still bright, interested and engaging."

Mr Smallwood, who was pre-deceased by his wife Elisabeth, leaves children Hannah and Chris and grandchildren Talia and Ariella.

His funeral is being held at St Mary's Church, South Wootton on Wednesday, December 21 (12.30pm).

No flowers have been requested. Donations may be made to the Children's Society, Christian Aid or the National Trust.