TRIBUTES were paid to one amazing man when 300 mourners attended his funeral last month.

Derek Cooke was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in March and tragically died just weeks later on April 12.

Derek, who lived with wife Bridget, 74, on Severn Avenue, was described by family as “a gentleman through and through” and “a terrific role model”.

The funeral took place at Kingsdown Crematorium on May 11 and was attended by an astonishing 300 people.

Bridget said: “The funeral was a sad but wonderful day. So many people came to pay their respects, I didn’t realise how many people he knew in Swindon.”

As well as having a son Andrew, 48, who lives in Australia and a daughter Jayne, 46, of Greenmeadow, the couple also have two granddaughters – Maddison, 6, and Evangeline, 4.

Daughter Jayne said: “When I was little I used to think he was the strictest dad ever but he was always there for us. He would play football and rounders with us and he taught me the values that I’m now instilling into my own children.

She added: “He was the kindest and most generous person I have ever known in my entire life.”

Derek and Bridget first met at the ice rink on Faringdon Road in 1957 and just three years later they were married, remaining devoted to each other for almost 56 years.

Bridget said: “I knew straight away that he was the one I was going to marry, despite him being a terrible skater.

“He was quite shy when I first met him and after a few years his mother said I must have brought him out of his shell because he suddenly seemed a different person. I miss him terribly at the moment and was still in shock until about a fortnight ago when I suddenly realised he wouldn’t be coming back.”

Derek was born in Percy Street on February 19 1940 to railway workers Iris and Ray and attended Pinehurst School, leaving at 14 to take up an apprenticeship in the railways as a Coach Finisher.

Later he entered the building trade, working for Swindon building company Bradley’s where he stayed for many years before leaving to start his own building business.

Derek, a keen angler, was the chairman of Plaum's Pit Angling Club and the club is arranging for a memorial bench with a plaque to be erected by the lake, which is also where he wanted his ashes to be scattered.

Derek would spend hours running football clubs, taking his teams – Pinehurst, Bakers Arms and Uni-mills – up through the leagues, once getting to sit in the dugout at Swindon Town.

In the tribute read out for Derek at his funeral, his family said: “There are countless young boys – men now – who owe Derek a great deal. He gave them their good start in life and no doubt kept many of them on the straight and narrow.”

Donations from his funeral reached £503 for The Prospect Hospice, where he spent his last few days.