NICK Axford, a married father-of-one who was an Air Cadets instructor for 30 years, has died of cancer at the age of 58.

Mr Axford, an Oxford man all his life, was born October 10, 1958 in Marston before he moved together with his parents to Wheatley at the age of eight.

Attending Wheatley Park School, he left schooling at the age of 16 to start working for an electronics company called P&H, who were formerly in Magdalen Road.

His love of electronics and all things technology led him into a career spanning two decades with the Oxford firm.

He would later design and install security systems at a number of UK airports including London Gatwick and Heathrow airports and for the last 15 years worked locally in Kidlington until his death earlier this month.

It was at the Magdalen Road workshop that he would also be introduced to the Air Training Corps [ATC], through an acquaintance of his named David Clifton (later Sqn Ldr).

Mr Axford decided to put his electronic know-how and love of the outdoors to good use and began volunteering as a Civilian Instructor at 1315 (Kidlington) Squadron ATC.

Here he would guide and encourage teenagers in aircraft and flight technology, rifle marksmanship and outdoor skills such as map reading and sailing; applying his expertise and sense of fun to become a well-known and much-loved figure in the ATC for thirty years.

In 2011 he received a Commendation for Meritorious Service in recognition of his unwavering commitment to the training and development of young people.

It was also through the ATC that he would meet his wife Lindsey (née Marshall), whom he met while at summer camp at RAF Lyneham in 1989. She was also a Civilian Instructor at the time but at another Squadron based at Bletchley.

The pair married two years later on May 25 1991 at Bicester before settling in Kidlington together, where they would spend the rest of their lives, and having their first child Richard.

Sadly he died aged six, and the couple went on to raise a second child, a daughter named Helene, now aged 23.

As well as his interests in ATC, electronics, space exploration and astronomy, Mr Axford was also a keen walker and loved camping, a pastime he shared with his wife and family.

Mr Axford died of lymphoma on February 3 at the age of 58. A funeral service was held at St Mary’s Church, Kidlington on February 22.