TRIBUTES have been paid to a Corfe Mullen brick maker who turned his office space into a wildlife education centre.

David Ballam, 58, who died earlier this month from cancer, followed his father and grandfather to the helm of the family firm, the Beacon Hill Brickworks.

Three years ago, Mr Ballam allowed the Dorset Wildlife Trust to convert space in the brickwork's Wareham Road building to a centre for use by local schools and community groups.

Nicki Brunt, the programme manager for the trust's New Frontiers project, described the late Mr Ballam's gift as "phenomenally helpful".

"By David giving us a base to work from, and with funding from the National Lottery, we've been able to reach out to people from urban areas in Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch," said Nicki.

About 3000 people had visited the education centre in the offices of the former brickworks, she added, including many with physical and learning disabilities.

The late Mr Ballam's sister, Judith Howells, said her brother was an intelligent man with a wide-ranging knowledge in a variety of subjects.

"He was quiet and unassuming, but had great knowledge on a whole range of subjects. He had a passion for model railways and all types of music, and was keen on sailing, which he would do with my father," said Mrs Howells.

Calcium silicate was first extracted from the quarry in 1937, and would later be used to produce five ranges of bricks for domestic and commercial properties.

During the quarry's peak output in the 1980s, the plant operated around-the-clock, and was a major supplier of bricks to the new housing development at Canford Heath, said Mrs Howells.

But in 1998 the quarry was taken-up as a landfill site by waste giant, SITA, with a commitment to restore "worked out" areas to heathland.

A memorial service for Mr Ballam was held at Poole Crematorium last Thursday.