THE LIFE of Newquay AFC chairman Graham Drew was celebrated on Thursday as hundreds of people packed Mount Wise stadium.

Mr Drew, who died two weeks ago after a short illness, was described as having "a wry sense of humour and an easy smile".

Moving tributes were paid at his wake. He was given a guard of honour with cricket bats as his coffin was carried out onto the pitch.

The stands at the club were filled with the usual flags, but the crowds were there because Graham had touched their lives.

Renowned in local sporting circles for his association with the football club and involvement with the town's cricket and local badminton clubs, Graham was also a member of the Lions Club of Newquay and a governor at Trenance Infants School.

Speaking at the service, Lesley Clarke, from the school, said: "I introduced him to the idea of being a governor at the school, which he became, and was chairman of a group at the school within six months.

"He will be missed by the school and remembered as a man who was simply the best."

Graham used to play cricket for Helston before joining Newquay. Mike Jelbert, from Newquay Cricket Club, spoke of the first time he met him.

"He was introduced to me as a spinner in his mid 40s. We later discovered he was in his 50s and couldn't spin the ball more than three inches – which he used to say was still enough to catch the edge of a bat," he said.

"He was a controlled cricketer and there must be a generation of people who would return back from the pitch asking themselves – how did I get out to that?

"Graham was loyal, committed and honest. He had a wry sense of humour and an easy smile. The amount of people speaking today just shows how many people he has touched the lives of and shows what a man he was."

Bob Morgan, from Newquay Lions, sang White Rose in tribute to Graham and his involvement with the club.

Graham died on Saturday, January 23. It was discovered he had blood clots in his leg and he suffered a heart attack and died later at Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske.

He was cremated at Penmount Crematorium, Truro.