A FOUNDER of the Wessex Surf Club, Roy Macklin, has died at the age of 82.

Born in Bournemouth, Roy carried out odd jobs after leaving school including painting the former domed roof of the Odeon cinema on Westover Road.

Roy then attended the Merchant Navy School in Bristol before signing up to the Navy.

He met his wife, Ann, at the Ritz Ballroom in West Cliff in 1955 and the couple courted for four years before marrying in 1959. They later went on to welcome their daughter, Elayne.

After leaving the Navy, he re-trained as a painter and decorator, as well as learning to be a builder and the skills from other trades.

He set up his own painting and decorating business before teaming up with Elayne's brother to create RA and CK Macklin.

Eventually Roy and Ann went to work for Country Camping France as couriers, before going to Eurocamp to work as part of the maintenance team, and later overseeing the courier team, which involved travelling across Europe together.

The couple remained working for the firm for around 15 years and spent around 10 years living in France.

He played water polo for Bournemouth Swimming and Waterpolo Club and when a match was cancelled one day, he went surfing instead, which ignited his passion for the sport.

Five people set up the Wessex Surf Club, including Roy's brother, Cyril, and Tony Beale of Beales department stores in 1964 as a reaction to the sport potentially being made illegal in Bournemouth.

The gentlemen realised that only way to get round the issue was to create the club and show support for surfing safely in the area, which was formed in the home of Tony Beale.

Roy went on to serve as the club’s chairman from 1966 to 1976 and helped the sport to grow in popularity in Bournemouth.

Roy's daughter, Elayne, said the members of the club put in a lot of work in the 1960s and 1970s and the club would put on competitions, which were televised nationally for people to watch at home.

Elayne said that her dad had a life-long ambition of visiting Hawaii, which was carried out in November 2016, to enable him to watch the Surfing World Championships.

Roy died on January 14 at the Macmillan Unit at Christchurch Hospital. A special memorial event was hosted by the Wessex Surf Club on Saturday, January 21 with flowers and a wreath being place on the water by members of the surfing community.

His funeral takes place at Bournemouth Crematorium on Tuesday, January 31 at 3pm with donations going to Macmillan Caring Locally.