TOUCHING tributes were paid to former Daily Echo journalist Kevin Nash at a service of thanksgiving for his life yesterday.

The much-loved father of three died at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital on February 20 at the age of 57, just 11 days after being taken ill with pancreatitis. Hundreds of Kevin’s friends and former colleagues attended the moving service at All Saint’s Church in Southbourne, remembering a keen golfer, gifted writer and much respected former sports editor and features editor.

Tributes were paid by former Daily Echo editor Neal Butterworth and family friend Debbie Mitchell who said Kevin had been “a rock” to his wife Michele and a devoted father who had always made time for their three children: Amy, 22, Harry, 19 and Phoebe, 12.