Tributes to former Bournemouth Daily Echo editor Gareth Weekes

The keen sailor was enjoying the trip of a lifetime aboard a yacht with his wife of 17-years, Alison.

His eldest daughter Veryan Cranston, 49, said: “Dad died as he lived - taking risks, having adventures, exploring the world and approaching life with boundless enthusiasm and a gung-ho zest for new experiences. We are glad he was having those adventures right up till the end.”

Born in Cardiff in October 1945, Gareth was the son of mining engineer Philip Weekes, south Wales area director of the National Coal Board.

He spent most of his adolescence in south Wales (asides from brief stints in Orpington and Nigeria) and worked for a firm of solicitors before building a career as a journalist; editing weekly newspapers in Tavistock and Salisbury and later becoming editor of the Bournemouth Daily Echo.

Under his leadership, the paper became the first in the country to offer a paedophile register, allowing organisations working with children to check the records of those applying for jobs with them.

Diane Weekes and Gareth Weekes (Image: UGC)

He was married to primary school teacher Diane Weekes for 35 years until her death in 2004. The couple had three children, Veryan, Bronwen and Jenna.

In 2007, he married Alison Hulls and the couple lived happily together in Clayhidon, Devon.

Alison said: “Absolutely everyone described Gareth as a lovely man. He had enormous integrity and empathy with each person he met and this is reflected in the overwhelming reaction to his tragic and sudden death.”

Gareth also had two stepchildren Poz Watson and Maddie Flint and 11 grandchildren and is survived by two sisters, Carolyn Arthurs and Jane Revill. His brother Huw Weekes, a journalist and newsreader for HTV Wales, died tragically in 2001.

In 1998, Gareth set up the PR consultancy Deep South Media, which is now run by his friend and former colleague Ron Wain. He was named South West Entrepreneur of the Year in the 2004 Chamber Awards.

(l to r) Poz Watson, Maddie Flint, Veryan Cranston, Alison and Gareth Weekes, Bronwen Collacott and Jenna Fansa (Image: UGC)

His daughter Jenna Fansa, 43, who also worked as a journalist at the Echo and joined him at Deep South, said: “Dad took a very genuine interest in everyone he met – together with his wit and engaging writing style, this made him a very talented journalist. Kindness ran through everything he did.

"He was a wonderful father. We are so very lucky to have had him.”