A FAMILY GP “much loved and respected by his patients” has died at the age of 103.

Dr Bruce Milligan, who lived in Malvern for more than 20 years, had a practice in Worcester for more than 30 years and had been living at a care home near Bromsgrove since 2002.

One of his partners in the Thorneloe Lodge surgery, in Barbourne, Dr Allan Laidlaw, said: “Bruce Milligan was a typical family doctor of the old school.

“Always calm, courteous and polite, he was much loved and respected by his patients.

“In all the years we worked together I don’t think we ever had a cross word. He was a real gentleman.”

Dr Milligan was born in the Wirral on June 8, 1911, during the reign of George V.

He read medicine at the University of Edinburgh and qualified as a doctor in 1935 before volunteering to join the Royal Army Medical Corps.

The majority of the war years were spent on troop ships and the young doctor travelled all over the world.

After being demobbed in 1945 he entered into a partnership with Dr Jack Ingles and Dr Joe Berry at Thorneloe. He was later joined by Dr Laidlaw and Dr Janet Osborn and practiced at the Worcester surgery for more than 30 years.

As well as his GP work, Dr Milligan was also honorary medical officer to the Worcester Amateur Boxing Club for 30 years, honorary medical officer to Worcester Racing, Local Medical Treasury Officer, medical officer to the Metal Box Company and adviser to several insurance companies.

He was also a Freemason and also a member of the Hadley Bowling Club for more than three decades.

With his wife Peggy, who died in 2007, they were keen golfers and members at both Droitwich and Worcester Boughton Park Golf Clubs.

They moved from Malvern to Burcot Grange residential care home, near Bromsgrove, in 2002. They had two children, Ian and Valerie, as well as six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.