Known by everyone as Mick the Roofer, Michael Clark moved to Devizes in the 1990s from the north for work.

He died on September 12 aged 53 after suffering from lung cancer, and his funeral was on September 19 at West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington.

Mr Clark was born on the March 17, 1961 in Middlesbrough. His parents died when he was young and he was put in an orphanage in the city.

After finishing school he got a job as an apprentice roofer, a job he stayed in until the end of his life.

Close friend Beril Lines, who has been friends with Mr Clark for the last 16 years, said: “He was a bright man and could have gone to university but he never did.”

At one point when he was in his early twenties, in between jobs and struggling for money, he even worked for a time as a male stripper to make ends meet.

He then moved to Devizes in the mid-1990s for work.

He moved to his home in Lansdowne Terrace, Devizes in the late 1990s.

Mr Clark had no wife or family and so his friends were his family to him.

Ms Lines said: “He worked hard, caring more for others than himself. He was bouncy man, full of fun and always smiling.”

His local pub was the British Lion, jokingly called the office by his friends, who he met there after work, as he was in there so often.

One of his hobbies was collecting coins and antiques, and he had a particular interest in glass and oil paintings.

He also loved to travel and visited Thailand several times.

After finding out he had cancer in January of this year he tried to work and carry on as normal.

Ms Lines said: “He kept on going until about a month before his death. He will be sadly missed by all his friends and those who knew him.”

If you wish to give a donation in Mr Clark’s memory this can be given to Macmillan or Dorothy House Hospice.

You can also donate online at www.justgiving.com/Michael-ClarkJS