A Darlington businessman has retired due to ill health.

Alan Noble set up Northgate, the UK’s leading commercial vehicle rental company from his then home in Hurworth in 1981.

He has overseen its growth into a multi-million pound plc employing nearly 3,000 people with key operations in the UK and Spain, where it is a market leader.

Mr Noble, who was named Darlington’s Citizen of the Year in 2008 for his outstanding contribution to business, previously took a lengthy break from Northgate in July 2002 because of serious illness.

He returned to work full-time, but recurrences of his illness led to his decision to leave the company.

His retirement comes as Northgate continues its resurgence since its £195.6m loss during Alan Noble: retiring the second half of 2008, by replacing a third of its 60,000-strong fleet.

Last year, Mr Noble – who sold the business to Goode Durrant plc in August 1987 and was appointed to the board in 1990 – spoke about his health problems.

He said: “The most important thing in business is to look after your health.

“You can work excessive hours and neglect your health and not do the fitness training and medicals and then find as you get older that your health becomes a major problem.

Money means nothing without your health.”

Two other directors also announced that they were retiring.

Phil Moorhouse, managing director, brought forward his retirement, originally planned for December, and Steve Smith, chief executive, brought forward his planned June retirement.