LEGENDS from the motorsport world could be paying their final respects to the co-founder of Marcos Cars, Jem Marsh, next week at his funeral.

Mr Marsh, who won more than 100 trophies during his 50-year racing and manufacturing career, died on March 2 at the age of 84.

Building his first car in 1959 and basing himself in Bradford on Avon and Westbury, established motor racing greats such as Sir Jackie Stewart and Derek Bell competed in Mr Marsh’s machines throughout his life.

His funeral will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon, at 2.30pm.

Mr Marsh’s wife, Lyn, said: “A representative from the British Racing Drivers Club will be coming to the funeral and there could well be a few racing people from the area coming like David Franklin and Ted Edwards as they were racing friends of Jem.

“But honestly I don’t who will be there until the day.

“I don’t think Jenson [Button]will be even though he’s good friends with my son and I don’t think Sir Jackie Stewart will be, although he did send me a letter which was very nice.

“It was a letter of condolences as you’d imagine as he started his racing career in a Marcos so Jem played a part in his life.”

Born on April 15, 1930, in Clifton, Bristol, Mr Marsh joined the Navy after leaving school and decided to build his own sports car as those for sale were too expensive.

A chance meeting in a pub with Frank Costin in 1959 formed Marcos Cars – a combination of their surnames – and they moved from their site at Greenland Mills, Bradford on Avon, to the new site at the West Wiltshire Trading Estate in Westbury in 1969.

Financial trouble in 1971 meant the company went bust but Mr Marsh bought the name rights of Marcos back in 1976 and over the next three decades he cemented himself as a true great of motorsport with his pioneering cars and attitude.

Mrs Marsh added: “Jem was competitive, he just loved racing and he liked the adrenaline.

“He always loved a challenge and he was a kind-hearted man who loved his family and grandchildren.

“He was quite an enigma though as after retiring he was happy to spend time gardening and listening to the birds, which for someone who used to race cars was maybe unusual.

“But because he was working all the time it never gave him time to do all that.”