ALBERT Saunders, who has died after a long illness at the age of 87, was the founding father of the Cycling Club Breckland.He was also a former chairman of the East District of the Road Time Trials Council and organiser of innumerable time trials.

ALBERT Saunders, who has died after a long illness at the age of 87, was the founding father of the Cycling Club Breckland.

He was also a former chairman of the East District of the Road Time Trials Council and organiser of innumerable time trials.

For decades he acted as timekeeper at more than a dozen events every year.

He was organiser of open events from 10 miles up to 12 hours, culminating in running two National Championship 50 kilometre Team Time Trials.

Born in London, he and wife Margaret enjoyed many years of cycle touring with their three children.

They moved to Norfolk at the end of 1959 to run a smallholding at Rockland All Saints and cycling took a back seat until they joined Thetford CC in 1966.

Two years after moving to the village of Carbrooke, he joined West Suffolk Wheelers for a short period until, urged by a number of youngsters, set about founding Cycling Club Breckland in 1975.

Albert was very proud of his family, many of whom were involved in cycling.

His son Don was a competition record breaker and national committee member and grand-daughter Heidi won the GHS National Schoolgirl Championship over ten miles in 1989.

He had four other grandchildren and five great grand-children, two of whom are already take part in time trials - a fitting tribute to a man whose life was devoted to the sport he loved.