RETIRED solicitor John Scott OBE, who jointly founded and worked tirelessly for the Daily Echo-backed Youth Cancer Trust, has died.

The 84-year-old passed away while on holiday in Madeira last week.

John, who lived with his wife Sue in Lymington and then in Shaftesbury for more than 25 years, was devoted to the Westbourne-based trust, which he set up with co-founder Brenda Clark.

The charity provides free holidays by the sea for young people with cancer away from hospitals, social workers and anxious parents. Youngsters mix with people their own age who know exactly what they are going through and enjoy a range of activities including go-karting and horse-riding.

John, who leaves three children and 11 grandchildren, always enjoyed meeting the young people who came to stay and often went out on trips with them.

And behind the scenes he was instrumental in fund-raising and just six months ago found an anonymous donor to pay off the mortgage on the Studland Road holiday retreat where 300 young people have enjoyed breaks.

"We are incredibly proud of what he has done there," said his youngest son David, who added that John would be remembered as a loving father and grandfather.

"He had a wicked sense of humour and he was great fun. He will be sadly missed."

Brenda said she has been devastated by the loss of her joint founder, friend and confidant and is determined to carry out John's vision for the trust.

She added that he would be greatly missed by everyone at the charity but that his memory would live on through the work of the Youth Cancer Trust.

John moved to Lymington following the Second World War, during which he served in the Hampshire Regiment in West Africa and India.

He spent all his working days at Scott Bailey in the town where he became a senior partner.

He got involved with a lot of charitable work. He was instrumental in the setting up of the New Forest Museum and was clerk to the Verderers of the New Forest. It was his work with the latter that earned him an OBE in the 1970s.

John's funeral takes place today in Melbury Abbas near Shaftesbury. His family have requested family flowers only, but donations to the Youth Cancer Trust in his memory should be sent to Merefield and Henstridge Funeral Directors, Ridgemount, Pitts Lane, Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury SP7 0BU.