FAMILY and friends have been paying tribute to a much-loved ping pong “legend” who died on Wednesday.

Phil Wright, 64, from Preston Road, Brighton, was a regular player at Brighton Table Tennis Club (BTTC).

He had suffered with Parkinson’s disease for more than 22 years.

Founder of BTTC Tim Holtam said the club had many good memories of Phil, who had travelled with them to compete in Berlin and twice taken part in an exchange programme in Malmö, Sweden, and had made friends with lots of European players.

He said: “Phil first came to us in 2013.

“He had Parkinson’s but he was always cracking jokes and making us laugh – he had a great sense of humour.

“Everyone at the club has been saying how much they’re going to miss him.”

Club member Caleb Yule described Phil as “a proper ambassador for the sport”.

He said: “We need more people like him in the club and the world.”

Phil’s sister Vanessa, 53, who owns the second-hand clothes shop Preloved of Brighton in Preston Drove, said Phil never let Parkinson’s disease hold him back.

She said: “It actually gave him a second wind.

“He moved to Brighton 16 years ago and started doing stand-up comedy and playing music at open mic nights.

“He took up writing and did lots of articles for the Parkinson’s UK charity newsletter.

“He interviewed John Major once, as well as Sally Gunnell and other sports stars.

“What was lovely about Phil was that he had so much positivity.”

Vanessa said Phil was from a working class family and had been a milk delivery driver in Bedfordshire before he moved to Sussex.

She said: “His Parkinson’s gave him a new life in a way, he suddenly became very creative.

“He was writing a book with his friend Tony about all the inspirational people he had interviewed, and so

now Tony is going to finish it off in time for Phil’s memorial.”

Vanessa and Phil’s family are planning to hold a memorial to celebrate his life in January, and they will be honouring the table tennis club in his name.

She said: “We will be making a donation to the club and will ask people for additional donations, rather than flowers.

“The table tennis club are absolutely fabulous.

“They were so welcoming and gave Phil a real boost.”