A POPULAR headteacher and devoted father of five, Neill Tanner died peacefully at the Christchurch Macmillan Unit on April 27, aged 77.

His family hit the headlines in 1975 when his wife Cynthia, already the mother of one 16 month old toddler, gave birth to quadruplets - the first born at Poole Hospital.

But for most Mr Tanner will be remembered for his devoted service in education at Talbot Combined School in Poole and Mudeford Junior School, from which he retired in 1995.

Born in December 1937, he grew up in Hanwell, West London. He became a teacher and moved to Dorset in 1969 to take up the post of deputy headteacher at Talbot Combined School in Poole.

It was while he was there that he met his wife of 43 years, Cynthia. They had a daughter, Claire, in 1974, followed by the quadruplets - Gill, Hilary, Judith and Rachel - just 13 months later.

They were two sets of identical twins, thought to be the only quads of their kind in Europe or America, and featured in the Daily Echo and on the BBC.

People always commented that Mr Tanner was surrounded by women, and he was regarded by his family as very supportive and an excellent listener.

These skills stood him in good stead in his career, and in 1981 he became headteacher at Mudeford Junior School, where he spent 14 happy years.

He always remembered his retirement celebrations fondly - at his suggestion his family volunteered to bake a cup cake for every pupil at the school.

Mr Tanner was a calm, quiet, modest man with a great sense of humour.

Gardening was his passion, and he created a beautiful garden at his home which his family continue to enjoy. He had a knack of teaching robins to feed from his hand.

His family described him as "a wonderful husband and father, and a loving grandpa to Taro and Leon" and said he had been looking forward to the arrival of his third grandchild in July.

A caring brother to his elderly siblings in their final years, Mr Tanner was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow condition in September 2014.

His family were very grateful for the excellent treatment he received in Wards 10 and 11 at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, and at the Macmillan Unit, and they have requested the hospital benefit from any donations in his memory.

Two days before his death he was able to spend time with the whole family for the quads' 40th birthday celebrations.

A private woodland burial was held on Thursday, May 14.