ONE of Teignmouth's top traders who ran the much loved and much-missed Hitchens department store has died on holiday in Spain.

Ray Houghton, 80, was boss of the Wellington Street shop for 20 years.

It was an institution, attracting customers from a wide area to buy anything from a single curtain hook or pillow ticking by the yard, and hundreds of other lines.

He was often on the shop floor serving and advising customers, and spent the evenings hanging curtains and blinds for customers. Nothing was too much trouble.

His eldest son, Michael, said his father was passionate about Teignmouth, and fought to make it a better place.

'He was disappointed when the dual carriageway carved the town in two during the 70s, and very sad when a supermarket was built on the Brook Street car park.

'He spent a lot of time at local council meetings trying to persuade members to retain car parks for shoppers and visitors,' said Michael.

'Dad was also thrifty, and believed in recycling before it became fashionable. Sometimes this was apparent in his black socks darned in red, or a case held together with duck tape. He was also a quiet, unassuming family man.'

Mr Houghton, who lived in Holcombe, died suddenly in Benalmadena, Spain, while on holiday with his wife of 54 years, Barbara.

He was born in Rushden, Suffolk, where his family ran a drapery, and moved with them to Dorchester when they took over a similar store.

Leaving school, he became a Post Office engineer and spent his National Service in the REME.

He switched careers to become a Dorset policeman in both cars and motorbikes for 13 years, before joining his father, Alfred, in Teignmouth to help him run Hitchens in the early 60s. He took over when his father died.

He leaves a widow, and three sons, Michael from Hampshire, Christopher who runs Luders patisserie in Teignmouth Triangle, and Paul, who also lives in Holcombe.

The funeral service will be at St James' Church, Teignmouth, on Thursday at 1.30pm.