TOUCHING tributes have been paid to a much-loved Bournemouth cub scout leader who has died at the age of 42.

Warehouse worker Clifford Dell, who lived in Boscombe and had trained as a chef, lost his battle for life on May 1 at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Born at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Boscombe, Mr Dell was one of six children who grew up in Rochester Road, Kinson.

His sister Pam Dell, 40, said: “Our family is heavily involved in scouting and we often used to camp out with the children at Butchers Coppice camp site.

“Cliff had been involved in scouting for more than eight years and was assistant leader of the 17th Bournemouth Cub Scout Group.

“He was a wonderful brother and my best friend. Cliff had a big heart and was always willing to help those in need. He was a joker and loved to make people laugh; his friends were more like his family.

“Cliff died within two months of being diagnosed with a stomach tumour. We had been hoping to bring him home to Kinson to care for him but there wasn’t time.

“I was very close to him and was with him at the end.”

Pam added: “Cliff played football at King’s Park on Sundays and was a big Cherries’ fan. He didn’t like black and friends and family wore red football and sports shirts to his funeral service at Bournemouth Crematorium on May 17.

“Fellow Scouters, in full uniform, provided a guard of honour.”

A bench is to be erected in Mr Dell’s memory at Butchers Coppice. Pam said: “We have so many lovely memories of Cliff from camping there; it seems a fitting place to erect a memorial to him.

“We plan to scatter Cliff’s ashes at Dean Court, on Hengistbury Head and at the resting place of our parents and sister Brenda, who died from cancer.”