THE daughter of a sea captain who played a ‘pivotal role’ in the Falklands Crisis and who worked on Barrow built submarines has paid tribute to her father, who has died at the age of 83.

Captain Peter Lightburn died ‘suddenly but peacefully’ at Cumberland Infirmary, on Sunday, September 12.

He leaves behind his wife Judith, children Ellie and John and grandchildren Mia and Amy.

The 83-year-old played a 'pivotal role' in getting warships and rapidly converted merchantmen out of Devonport during the Falklands Crisis, before he met them on their return journey at Ascension Island to assess damage, according to his daughter Ellie Vermeulen.

He also spent a large proportion of his career working with Polaris and Trident and stood by the Resolution class submarines whilst they were being built.

And it was it was through his work completing dockside tests at Birkenhead for Renown and Revenge that he met his future wife, Judith Gregson, who he married in 1970.

“A later posting saw him as ‘our man in Washington DC’ for Trident,” said Ms Vermeulen.

Mr Lightburn was born and brought up in Kendal, educated at Heversham Grammar School, and was a member of the Kendal Sea Cadets.

His father Jack Lightburn was once a reporter on the now defunct Penrith Observer and later became editor of the Westmorland Gazette.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1956 and was one of only a handful of grammar schoolboys to be accepted by the Admiralty.

His career came full circle 37 years later when his last role in the Royal Navy was as vice president of the admiralty interview board.

He studied electrical engineering at RNC Greenwich, before spending the next few years deployed across the globe to locations including the Mediterranean, Australia, Hong Kong, Borneo, Singapore and the Philippines.

“He saw action in Aden and the Gulf, and on one occasion was instrumental in stopping an imminent boiler explosion on HMS Agincourt,” said Ms Vermeulen.

“He was most proud of being in charge of the building of HMS Antelope, and he always mourned her destruction during the Falklands.

“He also spoke fondly of his time running Portsmouth Dockyard, where he was instrumental in getting the Aircraft Carrier Invincible back into service after a major fire in her engine room necessitated cutting through three flight decks to remove a 66-tonne gear box.”

Mr Lightburn returned home to his ‘beloved’ Lake District when he retired in 1993.

After which he spent time as chairman of the Kendal Sea Cadets and worked with various local charitable organisations.

For all of his adult life he enjoyed being a member of the Freemasons.