AUBREY Hughes, the man dubbed Oxfordshire’s ‘Mr Table Tennis’ for his contribution to the sport in the county, has died aged 79.

Mr Hughes is viewed as one of the great ambassadors of sport in Oxfordshire, serving for many years on the Oxford Sports Council and the Oxford Sporting Facilities Trust.

But it is his passion for table tennis for which hundreds of local players will remember him.

As a coach and senior administrator he was responsible for developing generations of young players and over 40 years he worked tirelessly to improve local facilities for the sport.

In 1971 he was a key figure in founding Kidlington Forum Table Tennis Club, going on to serve as its president, treasurer, vice-chairman and Sports Council representative for the Oxford & District Association.

His lifetime of service was recognised with two major awards.

He was named as Cherwell & District Council’s ‘unsung hero’ in 2011 and won the English Table Tennis Association's (ETTA) merit award for outstanding contribution to table tennis in 2008.

Mr Hughes, the son of an electrical engineer, was born in Oxford in 1934.

Following the death of his mother in childbirth, he was brought up in Sunningwell Road by his grandparents, attending Southfield School.

He left school aged 15 to train as an accountant with the Oxford firm Critchley, Ward and Piggott.

It was not long before he had organised a works table tennis team to compete in a local league. While at the company he met Pam Venn, from Headington, who worked there as a secretary. They married at St Andrew’s Church in Headington in 1955.

Mr Hughes went on to work as an accountant with Oxford law firm Linnell and Murphy, based in King Edward Street. He remained with them for more than 45 years.

Although a steam train enthusiast and a fanatical fan of speedway, he dedicated much of his spare time to his local table tennis club in Kidlington.

Mr Hughes first began playing table tennis in Oxford’s youth clubs at the age of 13.

Under his leadership Kidlington Forum became the leading table tennis club in the county with premier club status.

He was also instrumental in providing impressive purpose-built facilities in Crown Road that are now open six days a week, with 14 league teams, which has produced numerous county team players.

Oxfordshire captain Karl Bushell said: “There is no doubt that Aubrey has been the leading person in developing table tennis in Oxfordshire over the past 40 years.”

Mr Hughes, who lived in Kidlington, died on Christmas Day after a short illness.

A funeral service will be held on Monday January 13 at Oxford Crematorium, with a reception later being held at Exeter Hall in Kidlington.

Mr Hughes leaves his wife Pam, 78; three children Alison Frisby, 55; Eleanor Hughes, 51; and Neil Hughes, 48; four grandchildren Sam and Rachel, both 26; Nicola, 22, and Ryan, 14; and six great grandchildren.