A FESTIVE fundraising jive party has been held in memory of a popular Bournemouth man who died from a brain tumour.

More than 50 people gathered at Highcliffe Sports and Social Club in Christchurch to celebrate the life of their friend Gary Cooper who lost his battle with the aggressive cancer aged 48.

They raised £400 for charity, which will be donated to the Brainstrust charity which helped Gary and his wife Portia in their time of need.

Gary’s friend Jo Coole, who organised the party, said: “Gary and Portia faced untold barriers with his diagnosis and treatment, which is when the Brainstrust stepped in and paid for his scans to be viewed by a brain tumour specialist.

“They are a small but wonderful organisation who relies totally on public donations to help brain tumour sufferers.”

Everyone wore fancy dress costumes in honour of Gary, who loved to dress up in show stopping outfits.

Jo added: “He was always the ‘best dressed’ person in the room. He was a very popular man who always made us laugh no matter how bad he felt. He was a true friend and is missed terribly by all his family and friends.”

Gary first fell ill in April, but was misdiagnosed with a virus.

His condition worsened and sadly the world renowned fuel specialist was diagnosed with a grade 4 brain tumour and given just a few months to live, passing away on July 18.

Portia said: “Gary was a larger than life character and he is missed by all who knew him, and his entire family are devastated.

She added: “It was a fabulous evening and Gary would have loved every moment of it. The generosity of all who donated and came was fantastic and every penny raised is going to an extremely worthy cause which will help other families in similar situations.”

Special thanks were given to local businesses who donated prizes to the raffle including Hoburne Holiday Parks, Highcliffe; Beach Blooms, Cliffhanger Café, The Lord Bute, and Hurst Castle Ferries among many.

To donate go to the fundraising page, go to justgiving.com/Gary-Cooper65.