Former Caister-on-Sea parish councillor and Great Yarmouth businessman Barry Wade has died aged 76.

Born in Great Yarmouth in 1935, the outspoken man with a love of gardening died on Thursday, July 25, at home in Caister-on-Sea.

He grew up in Great Yarmouth and never lived more than three miles away, spending his adult life in Caister-on-Sea.

He will be remembered as a straight talking, keen member of the Conservative party and experienced horticulturalist, who loved a discussion and was never afraid to disagree with someone - but who also accepted when others were in the right.

Mr Wade’s son, Dean Wade, 50, said: “He would fairly give you his opinion, and will be sadly missed.

“But my main memory of him was he was always willing to help people, he liked to organise and had his fingers fingers in lots of pies.

“He had lived in the region all his life and felt very strongly about supporting it.”

Mr Wade’s working life saw him travelling the country selling carpets and furniture for Bretts Furniture and other East Anglian furniture and upholstery companies before opening his own shop in Market Row, Great Yarmouth.

His shop, Carpets Complete, was destroyed in a fire in 1995, and he took early retirement.

He was social secretary of the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society, was heavily involved with the Gorleston Horticultural Society and was on the committee for the allotments in Jellicoe Road, Great Yarmouth.

Mr Wade Jnr added: “Lately there were always people ringing him up for advice on horticultural matters, he will be remembered most recently for his horticulture interests.”

As a young man he was a member of the Young Conservatives and leant his support to national election campaigns, canvassing for election hopefuls. He was involved with the party for about 50 years.

Borough and county councillor Bert Collins knew Mr Wade well.

Mr Collins said: “He was politically active for many years. He was a right up front man and always spoke the truth, if you were right and he was wrong he would come up to you and say so.

“He was a very nice man, very friendly, but he liked to stand up for the truth, have a discussion and even a small argument.

“And you often realised he was probably right. He was passionate politically but was never rude or the aggressive type, people will remember him for that.”

An active man, Mr Wade was also a member of Great Yarmouth and Caister Golf Club.

He enjoyed times with his wife Norma at the Lake District and regularly visited various show gardens across the country.

Mrs Wade said she will always remember him as being busy around the garden, and talking on the phone to people who had telephoned him for advice.

Mrs Wade said: “He was busy, perhaps too busy. He was always pottering about in the garden and had a large network of friends.

“When we first spoke about the funeral I thought we would have about 20 people, but we must have sent 70 invitations already.

“He just kept on the go all the while. He had strong convictions, but was a very fair man.”

Mr Wade leaves behind Mrs Wade, Mr Wade Jnr - whol ives in Bury St Edmunds - and a daughter, Lisa Ryan, 45 - who lives in Essex - as well as grandchildren Abbey, Callum and Bethany, and sister Jennifer.

His funeral will be at Gorleston Crematorium and Chapel on Tuesday, August 7, at 11.20am.