AVIATION enthusiast and life-long supporter of the Boys' Brigade, Kenneth Bradley, has died at the age of 85.

Born on April 10, 1931, he attended Dartford West Boys School before going on to study at Dartford Technical College.

Outside of education, he joined the Boys' Brigade as a child and over the years, he continued his involvement with the group by leading the interdenominational Christian youth group, as well as helping to organise and attend their summer camps among other events.

He also helped to run the Bournemouth Aviation Museum, based at Hurn, at one point serving as the manager after it was created in 1997.

This included its move across the road at Adventure Wonderland in 2008, after the lease on the museum's home for 10 years at Bournemouth Airport came to an end, leaving trustees and volunteers desperately looking for alternative accommodation for their collection.

After three years temporarily based at the site, the museum's trustees made an application to Christchurch council in 2011 to make Adventure Wonderland a permanent home for the museum.

Kenneth appeared in the Daily Echo several times over the years including when a 38-year-old Sea Vixen XP928 completed a test flight after an extensive refit and restoration in February 2001. He also spoke to the Daily Echo in October 2009 when a Jaguar GR1 fighter was added to the display.

He was also a member of the Punshon Memorial Methodist Church in Exeter Road, which opened on the site opposite the BIC in 1958, until it was demolished to make way for a new hotel or leisure facility. Kenneth moved with the congregation to the Trinity Methodist Church in Southbourne and in his later years, after finding it more difficult to attend regularly, he helped with the with the admin of the church at home.

Kenneth died on August 31 following a battle with leukaemia and he is survived by his children Lesley, Sarah, and David, his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

His funeral service will take place at Bournemouth Crematorium on Monday, September 26 at midday followed by a memorial service at Trinity Methodist Church at 2pm with donations going to Cancer Research UK.