A former Weymouth ship captain who sailed around the world was given a fitting send-off last week, with hundreds saying goodbye at his funeral in Upwey.

Captain Paul Compton passed away on November 27 at Dorset County Hospital aged 76 after suffering a stroke.

As the founder of the Weymouth, Portland and District Merchant Navy Association branch, Paul was destined for a career on the water from a young age when he joined the Sea Cadets as a teenager.

Born in Shipston-On-Stour, Warwickshire, on November 10, 1946 and enduring a difficult start to life, Paul was eventually able to live with his mother in London, where he found the Sea Cadet Corps.

This kickstarted a keen interest in a career on the ocean - and during his time rising up the ranks he worked as a chef and catering manager at various businesses including Harrods.

Paul progressed to become the Commanding Officer of the Windsor and Eton unit of the Sea Cadets and led the building of a new unit on the River Thames.

In the 1980s he took part in various tall ship races on a variety of boats, which was where he met his future wife, Weymouth girl Suzy, whom he married in 1989 in Upwey.

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Affectionately nicknamed Captain Carebear, Paul sailed with Suzy across the globe but insisted that their base would be in Weymouth.

After marrying, the pair had two daughters - Lucy and Alice - to whom Paul was 'devoted' and took on some of his ship adventures.

He was later overjoyed by the arrival of two grand daughters, Rose and Ellen. 

Throughout his career, Paul has worked on board the sail training vessels Tenacious, Lord Nelson, Royalist and Astrid. 

Having sailed on countless voyages, a key part of his career was teaching and inspiring young people to also pursue careers at sea.

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Suzy told the Dorset Echo: "So many people have got in touch with me to say that he changed their lives, and they have had amazing careers because of him.

"It has been really lovely to hear their stories and has been a comfort for me to know the difference that he made and how he inspired them. He loved to follow their careers."

She added: "His family was the most important thing to him - he wanted us to be happy when he was going out to sea.

"When he was away he wrote postcards from every port and bought souvenirs."

"He was so proud of all their [his daughters'] achievements."

Paul founded the Weymouth, Portland and District Merchant Navy Association branch after retirement, formed in May 2010 to gather retired and serving sailors.

He was integral in organising a memorial to personnel from the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets who served the country on the Esplanade in Weymouth.

And in 2015, Paul was awarded the prestigious Merchant Navy Medal for services to youth sail training and to the Merchant Navy Association branch.

There are only up to 20 recipients of the medal annually, and he told The Echo at the time it was 'a privilege' to be recognised as he travelled to London for the ceremony. 

During his life Paul held other titles including Vice Commodore of the Royal Dorset Yacht Club and also bought a tourist boat business in Weymouth, White Motor Boats, now known as Coastline Cruises.

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He bought extra boats to extend the business, offering a ferry service to Portland and Lulworth as well as sightseeing trips along the Jurassic Coast.

Paul's funeral was held on December 9 at St Laurence's Church in Upwey, with representatives from the RNLI and the Merchant Navy among those in attendance.

"The church was absolutely packed, everyone was standing at the back, it was incredible," Suzy said. "I could not believe how many people were there.

"Paul actually left me a document on his computer that he wrote years ago about his favourite hyms, so the service was exactly as he wanted. It was very personal and apt for him.

"He was no saint, but he was generous, irreplaceable and had a sense of humour that brought dinners and parties to life.

"He was an amazing person and is going to leave a massive hole in my life."