Tributes have been paid to popular banker Mark Dutton, of Corsham, who died on Sunday following a 14-month battle with cancer.

Former Barclays Bank worker Mr Dutton, 45, of Academy Drive, set up Handelsbanken in Bristol in 2002 and worked as branch manager until he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October last year.

Mr Dutton was born in Paignton in 1964 to parents Anne and Ray and lived in Devon for many years, with his older siblings, brother Paul and sister Sue.

He met his wife, Anna, when he was 18 and she was 16, while working at Barclays Bank.

The couple, who have two children, Michael, 20, and Emily, 18, who are both studying at Nottingham University, moved to Hertfordshire shortly before their daughter was born, while Mr Dutton worked in London.

They moved to Wiltshire in 1993 when Mr Dutton was approached by an ex-Barclays colleague to see if he was interested in setting up a new branch of a Swedish bank in Bristol.

Mrs Dutton, 43, said: “Between them they set up the bank from scratch and got the name established. It was the most successful branch outside of London.

“Mark wasn’t the sort of person that just wanted to make money out of people – he loved it if he could make people look at their lives in a different way.”

Mr Dutton, who was a governor at Corsham Primary School and Corsham School for about ten years, was also a keen squash player at Springfield Leisure Centre. He also enjoyed watching cricket with son Michael and listening to his favourite band, Muse.

A celebration of his life will be held at St Bartholomew’s Church in Corsham on December 29 at 1pm.

Everyone who knew Mr Dutton is welcome to attend and wear bright colours. Donations should be made in his memory to Dorothy House Hospice.