A MOMENTS silence was held today at Teignbridge Council as the news of Teignmouth councillor Geoff Bladon’s death was announced.

Leader of Teignbridge Council, Cllr Jeremy Christophers, led tributes to the ‘brave’ councillor who passed away last week after a short battle with cancer.

Cllr Christophers said the 69-year-old put up a brave fight right until the end and that is how he will remember him.

The former mayor of Teignmouth was diagnosed with liver cancer which spread but Cllr Bladon had revealed that he wasn’t scared of death.

He had arranged his funeral service at the town’s Catholic Church, chosen a burial plot ‘with a sea view’ at the local cemetery, and had organised a wake at a restaurant.

Last summer he was an extra in the Donald Crowhurst film, Deep Water, and had a speaking part, playing the role of his father Arthur Bladon.

But the father-of-two will not be able to see his film debut, with the release set for later this year.

Cllr Bladon first became a Teignbridge district and town councillor in 1999, and served two terms as Teignmouth mayor from 2005 to 2007.

He quit politics for a time because he didn’t like all of the arguing and ill feeling that had been going on.

Cllr Bladon served in the merchant navy in his younger days, before joining the RAF Regiment, and seeing overseas service.

Returning home, he joined the Devon and Cornwall Police Force, serving for 24 years all across the district.

Ironically his father and uncle both died of cancer at the age 69.The funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 16, at Our Lady and St Patricks Church at 11.30am, followed by a wake at the Tradewinds Restaurant.