Hundreds gathered last week in St Aldhelm’s Church to bid their farewells to local legend Jim Gilmore.

Mr Gilmore reported on events in Malmesbury for almost 40 years, and died on November 12, aged 93.

Shirley Collier, the longest serving member of the Carnival committee said: “There were lots of people. He was a well-known and well-loved man who did such a lot of good.

“He was the founder of the League of Friends, and with one or two others resurrected the carnival after the war.

“It was nice that Father O’Sullivan could do the service as he was a long-time friend of Jim’s. There was a get-together at Athelstan House afterwards – which was nice for Ann, his wife, who lives there.”

Mr Gilmore moved to Malmesbury as a child and was educated at St Joseph’s RC Primary School. He served in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War, then became a journalist, joining the Gazette and Herald.

Mr Gilmore married Anne Sharland; they had two children, Nichola and Michael, and three grandchildren, David, Tara and Eric.