ONE of the great characters of Teignmouth has died.

Fred Tooley, 81, was one of six brothers and a sister, and a former champion boxer and councillor, who became mayor of the town a record three times.

Helped by friends, he built a boxing club on the site of an old cinema in Somerset Place, and it was opened by the British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper.

The club was one of the best in the region, and produced many junior champions, including one of his sons, Martin, who boxed for England.

But Fred fell foul of the amateur boxing association when he went along to the local summer fairs to take on the pros in the boxing booth.

He often beat them, and would earn a few shillings.

But the authorities took a dim view of bouts with professionals, and banned him for a year.

He was a strong man, and was a part-time bouncer at local pubs and clubs. Few yobs wanted to take him on because of his reputation!

He was one of the resort’s longest serving councillors, and his wife, Myra, said: ‘He really loved his council work, and virtually everybody in the town knew him. He would help anybody if he could.’

Another of his roles was organising the annual firework display from The Point.

Past mayor and district council chairman, David Weekes, said: ‘It was a privilege and a pleasure to have known and worked with Fred over many years.

‘He was a stalwart supporter of the young boxing fraternity and a dedicated councillor for the town.’

The funeral service will be at Torquay crematorium on Monday, February 1, but numbers will be limited to family because of the Covid restrictions.

The cortege will leave the family home in Kingsdown Road at 10.45am, down Mill Lane and through the town centre, the docks where Fred worked, and along the seafront, for those who want to pay their respects.