A leading Stockton councillor has suffered a heart attack while on a cruise in the Caribbean.
Dad-of-four Ken Dixon, Cabinet member for arts, leisure and culture, was enjoying a holiday with his wife Linda when he fell ill earlier this week.
The Ingleby Barwick Independent Society (IBIS) member is believed to have suffered a heart attack in his cabin following a visit to the gym on board the cruise liner.
His IBIS colleague and friend Councillor David Harrington, has spoken to Ken’s family and said he was recovering well in hospital in the Caribbean.
He said the heart attack was not thought to be serious.
“Ken was in training for the new leisure centre due to open in Ingleby Barwick in 2017 and wanted to lead by example,” he said. “But unfortunately he still thinks he’s a teenager.”
“He will be on a sabbatical over the next couple of weeks but will be back well ahead of the election and he will be standing again.”
Cllr Dixon, 67, a great granddad, who represents the Ingleby West ward, has worked with his IBIS colleagues in recent years in fighting for improvements to the estate, including to local roads and cycleways.
He has also campaigned against proposed new housing developments on green wedge land and been involved in securing a multi-million-pound pool and leisure facility for Ingleby Barwick to be built next to All Saints Academy and due to open by the summer of 2017.
In previous years Cllr Dixon, a retired police officer with 30 years service, was instrumental in bringing Romano Park to Ingleby Barwick, following long-standing calls for more activities for youngsters on the estate.
Along with his IBIS colleagues he spent four-and-a-half years fighting for approval and funding for the park off Lamb Lane and in July 2009 saw his hard work recognised with a nomination as a Gazette Community Champion.
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