TRIBUTES have been coming in for Dart­mouth legend Johnny Chick who has died, aged 62.

He died peacefully at his cottage in East Hendred, Oxfordshire, on Saturday.

His wife Sarah Jane, who is known as SJ, said Johnny had always hated goodbyes and at the end was surrounded by family and friends.

He had fought a five-month battle against asbestos-related cancer.

Johnny was a larger than life character – sometimes controversial and outspoken – who brought laughter into the lives of others.

He and SJ moved to Dartmouth from Oxford­shire in 2002.

Although they were later to separate, they never divorced and remained firm friends.

‘We came to Dart­mouth on a whim,’ said SJ. ‘We visited for a long weekend and loved it so much that six weeks later we set up home here. Our daughter, Ella, was 15 months old and she’s now almost 15. Johnny loved Dart­mouth, it was his passion.’

For three years the couple ran a restaurant in Higher Street before Johnny took over premises just opposite and opened a fishing tackle and sporting paraphernalia shop, Rod O’Reely, which he later relocated to the Old Market.

There his infectious personality and energy became almost legendary as he spruced up the market area with a bench and flower tubs, often arriving to do the watering at 6am before the shops opened.

‘Johnny was never shy of telling people what he thought but he made people laugh. We laughed every day, and he had so many friends here,’ said SJ.

‘He was a tree hugger and loved fishing and the outdoors.’

For the past 18 months Johnny had moved back to Oxford­shire, where he was running a village pub, the Eyston Arms at East Hendred, for his sister and brother-in-law.

A funeral service will take place on Wednes­day, March 16, at 1.15pm at South Oxford­shire Cremat­orium in Garford Village, Abingdon, where seating is limited, and afterwards at the Eyston Arms .

SJ said: ‘Everyone is welcome but we appreciate it’s a long way for many to travel and Johnny asked to be sprinkled back here in Dartmouth, the town he loved more than anywhere else, so there will be a memorial service held in Dart-mouth at a later date.’

Johnny adored his family and also had two older children, Maddie, 24, and Olly, 34, and was a grandad to Jaxon and Vinnie.

Dartmouth mayor Cllr Rob Lyon said Johnny was always coming up with ideas on how to improve the town.

‘He was never one to just moan but often had a plan which was often unusual or a bit of fun,’ he said. ‘You couldn’t help but like the guy.’

Mayoress Di Lyon said Johnny always raised everybody’s spirits.

Traders in the Old Market have also been saddened by Johnny’s death. Rob and Collette Smith, of the Market Cafe, said: ‘Johnny was one in a million’.

Dartmouth Pet Foods owner Linda Howard said: ‘Johnny made the market a fun place to be and helped us all.

Dee Nutt, chairman of Dartmouth Caring, said: ‘Johnny used to organise carols and a snow machine at Bayard’s Cove every Christmas with all proceeds going to charities. He was a lovely man, always full of life.’

Old Darthmothian’s chairman David Kell­and added: ‘Johnny was a great character and will be sadly missed.’