FORMER coroner for East Dorset Nigel Neville-Jones from Wareham has died at the age of 83.

Born in Dorchester on January 10, 1932, Mr Neville-Jones lived with his parents and siblings, Edward and Patricia.

He was educated at Cheltenham College in Gloucester before qualifying as a solicitor in 1956 and working for the family's solicitors firm, set up by his father, in Wareham in 1960. He married his wife, Joanne, in the same year and together they had three children, Simon, Susan and Paul, and later came along nine grandchildren who they enjoyed spending time with.

Mr Neville-Jones went on to become the deputy coroner of Eastern District of Dorset in 1974, before being made the coroner in March 1983, after exchanging roles with the then-coroner, Mr John Miller. This was following in the footsteps of his father, the late Major Ralph Neville-Jones, who was also formerly coroner for East Dorset. His father was well known for holding the inquest into the death T. E. Shaw - Lawrence of Arabia in May 1935, for which the verdict was recorded as accidental after he never regained consciousness following a motorbike accident.

Mr Neville-Jones retired from his job in 2000 following a number of high profile inquests and went on to spend his time enjoying his passions which included fishing, sailing, walking his dogs and watching motorsport on TV. He was an English champion in the Micro 18 category for sailing and also enjoyed travelling abroad to go salmon fishing.

He died on October 27 and his funeral service involved a private cremation attended by his family followed by a celebration of life at Lady St Mary Church in Wareham held yesterday, with donations going to a family charity.