A STALWART of Hereford's business and social circles has died on the last day of his "51st honeymoon" in Cornwall.

Family members from as far way as Florida were with Neville Wiggins at the end. The bone cancer Mr Wiggins, aged 76, had battled since the start of the year took his life on Saturday at St Ives - where he was holidaying with his wife Barbara.

The couple celebrated their golden wedding last year.

Tributes to Mr Wiggins this week take in the businessman who established Melcon, Magna Electronics, and Interface Artworks, a magistrate, and past president of Hereford City Rotary Club.

If father of four - and grandfather of three - was probably the role Mr Wiggins enjoyed most, some the most moving sympathies come from fellow "troupers" of the Hereford Gilbert and Sullivan Society that he joined in 1950 as a leading tenor.

He was still going strong with the society last year and also lent his voice to Hereford's Savoy Singers.

Mr Wiggins enjoyed music offstage too. Friends would often find themselves performing impromptu at one of his regular "musical evenings" at home in Lower Bullingham - accompanied by Barbara on the piano.

Born in Grove Road, Hereford in 1929, Mr Wiggins went to the old St Owen's School and former Boys High School.

As a young man he split his sporting interests between rugby and rowing. He rowed for Hereford in the 1950s, umpired at many city regattas, and was a member of the Wye Boatmens Association.

A keen cricket fan, Mr Wiggins was enthusiastically following England's success in the current Ashes series.

He started Melcon in 1966 and set up both Magna Electronics and Interface Artworks in the late 1970s.

Paul Morris, President of Hereford City Rotary Club said Neville would be greatly missed: "He had a warm, congenial and likeable personality. Everyone took a real shine to him and he was a dedicated Rotarian and past president."

St Ives was effectively his second home. He and Barbara honeymooned there and have been back "honeymooning" each year ever since.

This year not even the morphine, blood transfusions, and wheelchair he needed could put him off going. And he enjoyed it as much as ever said Barbara.

"He loved St Ives and wanted to spend every summer holiday there," she said.

Mr Wiggins was admitted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro on Friday. He had a day of the holiday to go.

His condition deteriorated overnight and, by Saturday, his family had gathered to say goodbye. The end, when it came, was peaceful, said Barbara.

The family service at Hereford Crematorium on Monday will be followed by a thanksgiving service at St Martin's church, Hereford, at 11am on Tuesday.