"His contribution to the development of sport for disabled people internationally and nationally was immense," the BPA said in a statement.

As the founding chair of the BPA, he helped to consolidate and bring together the groups of national disability sport organisations which created the British Paralympic Committee before it became the BPA in 1989.

"I first came across Bernard through his association with the predecessor of International Paralympic Committee, the ICC [International Co-coordinating Committee Sports for the Disabled in the World]," Bob Price, who succeeded Atha as chair of the BPA, said.

"It was also with Bernard that we served as the UK's representatives on the European Union Committee on Sport for People with Disabilities.

"He was passionate about inclusion and was instrumental in the inclusion of athletes with an intellectual disability at the Games."

He continued supporting the BPA as an honorary vice-president and was still chair of the Disability Sports Development Trust until 18 months ago before being succeed by another former BPA chair, Mike Brace.

"I can honestly say I never heard him have a bad word for a single person," Tony Salisbury, Britain’s Chef de Mission at five Paralympic Games, said.

"His contribution to our Paralympic world is inestimable and his commitment immeasurable and we were fortunate to have him in our world, yet his contribution in so many other fields was immense."

A graduate of Leeds University, Atha served in the Royal Air Force from 1950 until 1952.

A qualified lawyer and teacher, he enjoyed some success as an actor.

He also appeared in a number of films, most notably In Ken Loach's iconic 1969 film Kes, which follows the story of Billy, who comes from a dysfunctional working-class family and is a no-hoper at school but discovers his own private means of fulfilment when he adopts a fledgling kestrel and proceeds to train it in the art of falconry.

Atha played the part of the careers officer who "throws Billy on the scrap heap".

He also had small roles in the Loach films Family Life in 1971 and Black Jack in 1979.

Atha's television credits included roles in the series All Creatures Great and Small, Sherlock Holmes, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Last of the Summer Wine.

Atha served as Lord Mayor of Leeds, his home city, from 2000 to 2001.

During his Mayoralty he selected 18 "high-profile, well-known Yorkshire women" to act in turn as his Lady Mayoress, a role traditionally taken by the spouse or another family member of the Mayor.

Atha was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2007 Birthday Honours "for services to the Arts and to the community in Leeds", having earlier been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1991 New Year Honours "for services to Sport, particularly Sport for the Disabled".

He passed away peacefully on October 22.