FORMER policeman Tim Barnes, who was a support worker at Highcliffe School for nearly a decade, died on June 27, aged 61.

Mr Barnes was born in Lyndhurst in 1954, but grew up in nearby Lymington where he attended Priestlands School, before starting work in his parents' fish and chip shop.

He married an old schoolfriend, Chris, in 1975, and decided that with the Cod Wars under way in the North Atlantic, a local 'chippy' wouldn't offer the financial security a young family required.

So he joined Dorset Police, with whom he served for 30 years.

He took a variety of postings - at the police headquarters in Winfrith and in Poole - before acting as the community beat officer for Highcliffe and Walkford for 12 years.

In the meantime, Mr and Mrs Barnes had three children - Stuart in 1977, Gemma in 1980 and Ollie in 1983 - and later four grandchildren.

Mr Barnes spent 10 years as a safe schools and communities officer, working with Highcliffe School where his children were pupils.

He loved the New Forest and police work at the community level, where his knack of engaging with people stood him in good stead.

In particular, he enjoyed working with young people. Over his many years of police work and as a parent, he built a close relationship with Highcliffe School, and upon retiring from the force in 2007 he took on a role there as a student support worker for Key Stage 3.

His job was to help students with whatever difficulties came up in their lives.

Mr Barnes was greatly respected by staff and students alike for his people skills and his cheerful, optimistic nature. He had a strong sense of right and wrong, but was always able to see the best in people, and at the school was able to win over the more difficult pupils.

"Tim’s expectations of himself and others were relentlessly high, demonstrating integrity, honesty and compassion," a colleague said.

"He was a real gentleman and will be greatly missed."

Mr Barnes was an enthusiastic member of the staff choir, and in recent months he proposed a new annual school award to recognise the work of young carers.

Outside the school, he helped out as group leader of Highcliffe Scouts, and was also a governor at Highcliffe Junior School.

Earlier in his life, Mr Barnes was an avid line dancing enthusiast, making many close friends. Another hobby was geocaching, a cross between orienteering and treasure hunting.

Himself a survivor of bowel and lung cancers, he became closely involved with the Dorset-based SemiColons bowel cancer charity, organising fundraising events and serving as chairman.

He died of lung cancer at Christchurch Hospital. A funeral service takes place at Bournemouth Crematorium on Monday, July 6, at 11am.