FORMER policeman and founder of a successful aerial and satellite installation company, Gordon Chapman, has died aged 75.

Gordon served with Dorset Police in Ferndown and Longham before working in Kinson and Bournemouth.

After his time with the force, he founded Ferndown Aerial Company and ran the business until retiring to Turkey in 2005.

Gordon was born on January 24, 1943, in Throop, the youngest of three brothers.

He spent his childhood in Bournemouth, other than a short spell in Buckinghamshire. He attended Winton and Moordown Boys School.

In his early working life Gordon took on a number of different roles. These included working as a telephone engineer, an aircraft electrician at British Aerospace Hurn and an electrician at Polaris Submarines in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

Gordon had two sons, Steve, who was born in 1966, and Martyn, who was born in 1967. He also had a granddaughter Alice.

He was a keen dancer and attended the Bill and Ann Legge School in Winton.

His dancing talents saw him represent the south region in BBC TV’s Come Dancing, the forerunner to Strictly Come Dancing.

In 1967 he joined the police, with his passing out taking place at Chantmarle.

His role with the force saw him operate as a traditional ‘village bobby’ in Ferndown and Longham.

This position saw Gordon and his family live in the police cottage in Church Road.

As the ‘village bobby’ Gordon came to know all the shopkeepers in the area, as well as the children at the local school.

A former colleague said he was a great copper for the time because he made sure he knew everyone.

Gordon also started the Police Motor Club with a colleague, organising and taking part in various rally events.

One memorable night shift on duty in Ferndown saw Gordon get into a spot of bother.

While patrolling an area of shops he discovered the front door to the Midland Bank was unlocked.

After going to check if the internal door was also open, Gordon inadvertently became trapped inside the bank’s foyer, with no handle to open the outer door from inside the building.

The alarms began to sound and he contacted his colleagues to come to let him out. A group that had gathered outside the door eventually tried to open it and discovered Gordon sat with his fingers in his ears to limit the deafening sound of the alarm.

After many years as a policeman in Ferndown, Gordon had stints in Kinson and Bournemouth.

Throughout his life he developed an interest in various gadgets and technology. After 13 years with the police, Gordon took this interest into business as an aerial and television installer.

For the next 25 years he ran Ferndown Aerial Company, which became a well-known thriving business that provided a range of services to people across Dorset.

Gordon retired from work in 2005, although Ferndown Aerial Company continues to operate under different ownership.

After buying a house in Turkey initially as a holiday home in the 1990s, Gordon moved there permanently in retirement.

Son Steve said Gordon was tired of the unpredictable weather in the UK and he enjoyed the fantastic views from his new home, which was located in the small coastal setting of Turgutreis.

Steve described his “dear old dad” as a larger than life character.

Gordon passed peacefully to rest with his sons at his side on Sunday, June 10, at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

His funeral service takes place at Bournemouth Crematorium on Monday, July 2, at 11.45am.

Family flowers only. Donations if desired, for ‘Cancer Research UK’, may be sent to George Scott Funeral Service, 1537 Wimborne Road, Kinson.