A PUBLISHED author described as a 'remarkable character' has died aged 87.

Former Bolton School pupil John Cedric Brown, known as Cedric, wrote Serendipity about his time as a prisoner of war in Hong Kong when he was in the Royal Navy .

The divorced father-of-three from Shrewsbury Road, Heaton, later became a partner of CLB Accountants in Silverwell Street. He died peacefully after an illness and his funeral will take place at Christ Church at 11.15am tomorrow.

June Colley, his companion, said: "He was full of humour right until the end, that was typical of Cedric. He was so outgoing and popular, he was a remarkable character.

"He was very proud of his book and enjoyed working at the accountants. Everyone there thought the world of him."

Mr Brown joined the Royal Navy in 1938 and was taken prisoner by the Japanese on Christmas Day 1941. He retired from the Reserve as Lieutenant Commander in 1958.

Serendipity - a book of poems and stories about his experiences - was published by Boltonia Print in 1999.