Tributes were paid today to Worthing's Mr Music who has died at the age of 90.

Thousands went to Roy Affleck's Big Band concerts at the Assembly Hall in Stoke Abbott Road.

Off stage he earned his living as a newspaper journalist and was widely respected for his reporting skills.

When Mr Affleck retired from performing in 1977, singer Shirley Western, who lives in Littlehampton, took over for the next seven years.

Today she said: "I came here to retire and had only been here a few weeks when Roy asked me if I could help him out as his singer had gone sick. I did a couple of gigs and our friendship went from there.

"I stayed on with his band for two years and when he decided to retire he asked me if I would take over.

"Roy was a real gentleman, a lovely man and I am very sorry he has gone. He played a very good standard of music."

Mr Affleck was born in Swindon and while at school learned how to play drums and guitar before progressing on to the clarinet and saxophone.

His musical career took him to London and then Shoreham, where during the Second World War he was a firefighter.

Mr Affleck moved to Worthing in the mid-Fifties and in addition to stage shows he also worked for the Worthing Gazette, the Worthing Herald, the West Sussex Gazette and the BBC.

In 1972, he staged a concert for Prime Minister Harold Wilson in the ballroom of Warnes Hotel on Worthing seafront.

His son Martin said: "Everybody knew him. He was Worthing's Mr Music.

"He would get home at midnight after a concert, get ready for bed, and then an hour later he could get called out by the newspaper to a breaking story."

Mr Affleck, of Brittany Road, Worthing, suffered a stroke several years ago which impeded his enjoyment of music but Martin said: "It never took away his interest in newspapers, which were his joy."

Mr Affleck leaves a widow Hilda, three children Martin, Marilyn and Ian, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

He died at Worthing Hospital on Sunday. His funeral is at Worthing Crematorium on Tuesday at 3.20pm.

Peter Bailey, Worthing theatres manager, said: "He was a great supporter of live music in the town. He was a breath of fresh air in that respect.

"He will be sadly missed. It was always nice having people like Roy around."