PATRICK Balson Dingle, who died recently, may have been known as the distinguished clarinettist of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta but his interests and enthusiasm ranged widely beyond his beloved music.

He was born in 1923 in Gorton, Manchester and following the death of his father came to live with his mother and brother in Boscombe where he attended the Collegiate School in Westbourne and, in 1935, started learning the clarinet from Hiram Lear, principal of the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra.

In 1940 he became first clarinet at Wessex Philharmonic before his call-up in 1942 where he joined the army at Parkhurst Barracks on the Isle of Wight for training. Following a short course for potential officers he was posted to Dorrington RAOC Shropshire, joining the Band of the 12th Battalion.

He married Camille Audrey Lear, Hiram Lear's daughter, in November 1947 at St John's Church, Surrey Road in Bournemouth, going on to have a daughter, Annette, in 1953.

After moving to Canford Heath he became one of the first voluntary wardens to help patrol the beaches and clear undergrowth in preparation for the National Trust to open Brownsea Island to the general public before moving to Spetisbury.

He started with Bournemouth Sinfonietta as 2nd clarinet in 1971, touring Finland in 1976 and seeing EMI publish his clarinet tutor in 1978.

Patrick retired from the orchestra in 1986, only to take up the viola in 1987, joining the Southampton Concert Orchestra on viola in 1996.

He loved birds and was a life member of the RSPB as well as The Ramblers, enjoying a daily walk in the New Forest right up until he died - he regularly would catch the bus or train to Bournemouth and walk all the way to Sandbanks and back along the seafront.

Patrick never owned a car and either walked or cycled or used public transport. He always rode his bike to work in the orchestra with his instruments strapped on the back.

One of his most familiar sayings was: “It's all of absolutely no importance whatsoever!" and respecting this, his family abided by his wish not to have a funeral service or ceremony.

He was laid to rest on Friday January 12th - almost a month after he died - at Harbour View Woodland Burial ground overlooking his beloved Purbeck Hills and Brownsea Island.