Tributes have been paid to a "true gentleman" one of Falmouth's longest serving firefighters who has died at the age of 67.

Chris Ruberry, who died on Monday (March 28), was a firefighter for 37 years and served at Falmouth Fire Station as station officer and then for the eight years before his retirement in 2013 was head of training at RAF Portreath.

Mr Ruberry was also a volunteer with Falmouth Lifeboat where he headed up sea safety and in 2020 received his 20 year long service medal.

Mr Ruberry, who lived in Penryn with his wife Jeanette, was fire incident commander when a huge fire swept through Falmouth Docks in 2003 and totally destroyed the Queen's Wharf.

For last few years Mr Ruberry had suffered ill health and was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy, a little known disease which is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's Disease.

Paying tribute to her husband, Jeanette Ruberry wrote: "Fare thee well, Mr Ruberry. You lived life to the full for as long as you possibly could, and then you adapted to a ‘new normal’ with dignity - your brain razor sharp until the very end.

"The fire service was your life - your oxygen - a more than 37 year love affair - a vocation of which you never tired.

"You loved teaching people - training them to be safe and to learn the art of keeping others safe. Powerboat training, in particular, was a passion. As was providing safety cover for club racing and regattas, within the Port of Falmouth, for nearly 40 years.

"Another important facet of your life was your association with the RNLI. You would have liked to have been a member of the boat crew, but could not mix and match that with the fire service. So, once again, training and imparting information to others, no doubt saved lives. The comradeship with the sea safety team members you worked alongside, you valued highly - they were like family to you."

Mr Ruberry was an avid traveller who visited around 60 different countries, travelling to most continents.

To unwind he enjoyed pottering in his garden and loved eating cake!

Posting on the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Retired Members Association Facebook page Frank Hadfield said: "A sad loss. He was exceptionally able and respected in the brigade from his very early days right through to his retirement. A true gentleman."