Falmouth Marine Band paid fitting tribute this morning to one of its co-founders who died earlier this month.

Members played outside Falmouth's Wetherspoons pub on The Moor to remember Christopher 'Sarge' Hodges.

Chris died at home in Falmouth on Tuesday, November 10, following a long illness.

He was known widely across Falmouth and the surrounding area as a founder member of the Marine Band, after joining the first meeting organised by sail makers David Spargo and Colin Bennett.

Falmouth Packet:

Sarge's coffin was adorned with the St Piran's Cross, flowers and a crate of his favourite Thatcher's cider. Picture: Colin Higgs

The fun marching band was set up in 1988 to breathe life back into Falmouth Carnival and has grown to become a hugely popular part of many town events throughout the year.

This morning members gathered to pay their last respects. The Last Post was sounded before the band, dressed in Cornish hunting tartan, gave a drum salute as the hearse paused on Chris's final journey through Falmouth.

Following this the funeral procession made its way past Falmouth Docks, where he worked as part of the heavy lift gang until his retirement in 2013.

From there it travelled past the Falmouth Hotel and along the seafront before heading onwards to Truro for the service.

Falmouth Packet:

Members of the Falmouth Marine Band pay their respects. Picture: Colin Higgs

Just five days before he died Chris got to marry his partner of 25 years, Lyn, in a small ceremony at Mount Edgcumbe Hospice.

Lyn said earlier this month: "I was proud to take his name after all that time. It was was just lovely that he wanted to give me his name before he died."

Since his death Chris has been described as a ‘man mountain, ‘gentle giant’ and ‘Cornish legend’.

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