Oldham-born businessman David Heginbotham passed away in his sleep at his Cliviger home on Sunday aged 81. Political colleagues and opponents have paid tribute to a colourful and quirky character. Mr Heginbotham was Conservative councillor for Cliviger with Worsthorne 1991 to 1998 and 2002 to 2018 and Mayor of Burnley in 2011-2012. The former leader of the borough council Conservative group was the driving force behind the long campaign to reopen the Todmorden Curve. Mr Heginbotham was one of the first passengers to use the direct link to Manchester from Burnley when it reopened after an £8.8million reinstatement of the line which was closed in 1972 following Dr Beeching’s railway reforms in 1965.