Perth businessman James Cummings

Perth businessman James Cummings has died in Perth Royal Infirmary at the age of 85 after a short illness.

Mr Cummings was born and raised in Perth with his brother Gordon.

His entrepreneurial career began when he started a scrap metal business that introduced the first skip lorries in Perth.

He then moved into the roofing slate recovery market, where he worked until his retirement.

Mr Cummings had a passion for horses and discovered a gift for working with them when he was a child.

As an adult, he took up harness racing and bred racing horses. He was one of the co-founders of the Errol Raceway in the mid-1990s.

One of his horses, Saunders Sunlord enjoyed great success in Canada and is still enjoying a quiet life at the age of 32.

Despite being kept busy with his business and his hobby, Mr Cummings and his late wife Catriona raised a family of seven.

He is survived by his brother, his sons Stuart, Gordon and James and his daughters Sylvia, Aileen, Shirley-Anne and Michelle.

He is described as being a “loving grandfather” to Tanya, Soraya, Danielle, Sean, Arran, Ayrton, Shona and the late Gary.