Old boy Leonard Ruffell, who was at the school from 1950 to 1955, died on 3 July, aged 75. Len had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2013.

Born in his father’s police house in Rownhams, Len moved to Winton in Bournemouth with his family when he was three. He spent most of his career in local government, with councils in Bournemouth and Hampshire, and it was through his work that he met his wife, Anne.

Len enjoyed drama, genealogy and writing and illustrating detective books about his alter ego, Lionel Worst. His daughter, Antonia, now lives in Australia.

His death was reported in the Hampshire Chronicle and the Bournemouth Daily Echo. The funeral was held on Friday 17 July at St Barnabas Church, Weeke.