AN INTREPID globetrotting Kidderminster refuse collector dubbed “Bindiana Jones” has sadly died.

Hugely popular John McBride died at The Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, surrounded by his close family, on July 27 following a short illness.

The 73-year-old was affectionately nicknamed “Bindiana Jones” and “Mad Mac” due to his exploits which saw him visit 120 of the most dangerous countries in the world.

But residents in the town also knew him as the cheerful bin man who always had a smile for them and time for a chat as he carried out his duties.

His funeral will take place at Kidderminster Crematorium at 4.30pm on Monday (August 6).

In a notice in the Shuttle announcing his passing, his family said: “He touched the lives of so many people in the local community, and will be sadly missed by all.”

Councillor Fran Oborski said: “John McBride was known as “Bindiana Jones” because of his adventures which took him to remote, exotic and often dangerous parts of the world.

“He was, at his peak, a fearless and intrepid traveller who banked his holiday hours as a refuse collection operative in order to go ‘wandering’ around the world.

“Back home many folk will remember his cheery wave from the wagon and will also remember seeing him at car Boot Sales often with a huge stuffed animal - often a hairy spider - strapped to his back!

“In latter years, the outside of his bungalow on Offmore was often decorated with fluffy toys. He was a real character of Kidderminster who brought the warmth of his smile into many lives and will be missed.”

Linda Draycott, Director of Community Wellbeing and Environment at Wyre Forest District Council said: “John McBride - aka Mad Mac or Bindiana Jones - was a larger than life character who worked on the bins at the Depot for over 30 years.

“Truly he was known by everyone at the council and seemingly most of the people in Wyre Forest.

“He was an avid reader who spent a lot of his personal time travelling in some very inhospitable countries, even looking at refuse collection systems abroad and helping out.

“His stories when back home were the stuff of legend, with even local media running stories of his adventures and dubbing him the Bindiana Jones of Wyre Forest.

“He was a great public servant to the people of Wyre Forest, a one off who and will be sorely missed by those close to him and remembered fondly by everyone else.”

Mr McBride joined the army in 1976, giving him his first taste of dangerous countries, after he was posted in Northern Ireland and India.

His sense of adventure continued in later years when he made trips to El Salvador, Israel, Lebanon and Jamaica where he was even shot at but got away unscathed.

He also got turned away at the Iraqi border during the Gulf War and witnessed voodoo being performed in a burial ground in Haiti.

Ironically, his first serious injury came when he broke his leg after falling out of bed while in Worcestershire Royal Hospital, where he was being treated for hypothermia, in 2013.