The family of Ben Dickinson, a "Falmouth man born and bred" who died suddenly in May, handed over £1,000 to the town mayor's charity on Friday.

The money had been raised through a Justgiving page set up by Ben's brother, Len, as family and friends tried to come to terms with the loss of the 42-year-old after he suffered a heart attack.

Len, along with Ben's wife, Paula; father, Chris and Len's wife and children, Donna, Finley and Sophie, met Falmouth's mayor and mayoress, Grenville and June Chappel, and representatives of his charity of the year, Kernow First Aid, at the council chamber. Ben's mum, Caroline, was unable to attend the event.

They presented Mr Chappel with the £1,000 and revealed that £263 had also been given to Cornwall Air Ambulance, Little Harbour children's hospice at St Austell, and the Firefighters' Fund as Mr Dickinson senior had been a firefighter for many years.

Kernow First Aid supports the Falmouth's street pastors and money raised through the mayor's charity will help

pay for a first aider to accompany the street pastors on their Saturday night patrols - a project supported by Ben and his brother.

"The fact that the first aiders don't get funding, we thought was unbelievable," said Len. "Me and Ben liked going out on Saturday night and we both love Falmouth. It's all about looking after people and Ben always looked after people when he went out - that's why the majority of the money is going to the mayor's charity."

Mr Chappel laid on a reception for Ben's family in appreciation of the donation. "Ben would have loved all the fuss that is being made," said Len. "I'm sure he would have been a councillor and he would have been brilliant at it. I am proud that we could do this for him - it's in his name."

Ben had been highways and environment manager for Cormac and was a well-known and popular figure across the town and county. His funeral was attended by more than 300 people. "We had so many comments from people all over the world," said Len. ""We knew he was popular, but it was crazy."

Ben had been a pupil at Beacon Infants and Junior Schools and Falmouth School, and married Paula, director and co-owner of estate agents Lewis, Haughton Wills, in 2013. He was was step-dad to her children, Tom and Nicky.