A pensioner who died after being hit by a runaway police van in his local park has been named locally as Donald Bennett – a former president of Pudsey Liberal Club.

The 83-year-old retired joiner had been enjoying the weekend sunshine when the van rolled down a slope and struck him.

Police had been called to reports of a row between youths in the popular park packed with families, shortly after 2pm on Saturday, when it happened.

An officer had left the Vauxhall van to deal with the incident when the vehicle started to roll, hitting the pensioner who had been walking past.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr Bennett’s death.

It is believed he had been out with his family when the tragedy occurred close to the bird house and an ice cream van.

As police investigators photographed the van on Saturday, bricks from a landscaped wall and what appeared to be a walking stick were visible under the vehicle, which came to a rest towards the end of the slope.

Witnesses have told how a number of men had rushed to hold back the rolling van and desperately tried to jack up the vehicle before emergency services arrived and took over.

Floral tributes from family, including Mr Bennett’s grandchildren, have been laid where the pensioner died.

Richard Brook, who lives a few streets from Mr Bennett’s home and was in the park yesterday, said the community was stunned and saddened by his death.

“We heard about it on Saturday night,” he said. “We were shocked, especially for it to happen in a park like this.

“He was actually watching the bowls with his son and he came up here to this end of the park for an ice cream, as far as I know.

“I’d see him walking around near his home and he seemed like a nice bloke.”

Yesterday, Pudsey Liberal Club expressed its grief and passed on its condolences to Mr Bennett’s relatives.

Club steward Andy Chappell said: “The club, its members, committee and staff all give their condolences to his family at this very sad time. It’s a sad loss. I wasn’t here when he was president but one of my staff members remembers him as a good man who did a lot for the club.”