Falmouth born twin brothers John and Mike Gregory, aged 69, have died within weeks of each other. Their deaths have shocked family and friends across the globe.

Mike, who lived in Penryn, died in May following a short illness. John, who lived in Perth, Western Australia died last week.

Hundreds of people attended Mike’s funeral but John was unable to fly to the UK due to illness. He was laid to rest on Monday in the Port of Fremantle cemetery with the flag of St Piran draped over his coffin.

Here in the port, the Falmouth Towage Company vessels flew their flags at half-mast to honour John, who had worked for the company in the 1970s as an engineer.

As young boys John and Mike, along with their cousin David Barnicoat, enjoyed an idyllic childhood messing around in their boats on the Falmouth waterfront. Their father, Jack Gregory, was a member of the Falmouth lifeboat crew.

Both men served apprenticeships as marine engineers with the then Silly Cox & Co. Several years later they went to sea with the Federal/New Zealand Shipping Company before coming ashore again. Mike went back to the docks and, after a brief spell on the tugs, John emigrated to Australia with his wife Julia and son Steve. While living Down Under, Julia gave birth to Ryan.

Many tributes have been paid to Mike and John on the social networking site Facebook.

One commentor said: “Mike was a hard working, sincere gentleman who would help anybody.” Former Falmouth mayor, Peter Tierney, said: “John was a genuinely, nice man.”

Mike leaves a widow Tina, son Peter and daughter Sarah.