May I please just say a few words about Mike Norrish, who sadly passed away recently and who was a very good friend of mine?

May I please just say a few words about Mike Norrish, who sadly passed away recently and who was a very good friend of mine?

Mike and I go back many years, but it was only over the past eight years that we became 'firm mates' and met at least two or three times a week in the office (York Inn) for our usual sessions of putting the world to rights.

He was a very staunch socialist and often berated me for becoming a councillor under, what he called, new bloody pink Labour. He was very passionate about his beliefs, whether politics or his other great love, local issues, and while Barbara was his greatest love and boxing his mistress, Mike never wavered from what he thought was right and always stood by his principles.

Over the past three years, Mike became closely involved with the local Army forum that met at the Exmouth soccer club once a month. It was he who approached me with Trevor Pitman's idea for a memorial to the Devonshire Regiment and, right up to the last, he rang from his sick bed to make sure it was on target. If he could not get me, he would ring Trevor for an update.

He really enjoyed his involvement with this group and he and Trevor would keep each other informed of proceedings if one could not make the meeting, such was Mike's interest in what was his 'new found interest'.

Mike had many friends across the whole county and, while the majority were from the boxing fraternity, many more were from other walks of life in which he took an interest, local, military, even travel. If Mike took an interest, you knew he would stick to it and assist wherever he possibly could.

To say he was a character would be putting it mildly. He was more than that... he was a great friend, a lovable man, a great family man, but, most of all, he was JUST MIKE. I and many more will miss him and his banter. Rest in peace, dear friend, from all the gang. Missing you already.

Lionel Howell,

10 Cheshire Road, Exmouth.

EDITOR'S NOTE: if you missed last week's special tribute to Mike Norrish, you can still read it online at www.exmouthjournal.co.uk - click on obituaries.