A CROWNFUNDING page has been set up to fund a memorial bench in tribute to a town ranger who has died.

Neil Vincent, known as Vinnie, was from Chandler’s Ford and worked as a town ranger for Eastleigh Business Improvement District (BID) for three and a half years.

His role included doing daily patrols of the town centre, checking on all the businesses, making sure the town was clean and safe, and also carrying out first aid if required.

He was well known in Eastleigh, and after passing away on January 17 in hospital at the age of 60, residents and business owners have been showing their appreciation by helping to fund a park bench in his memory.

Vinnie was diagnosed with cancer two weeks before he died, and now a JustGiving page has been set up by staff at Eastleigh BID, with the aim of raising £1,500 for the bench.

The page launched on February 4 and so far, £1,180 has been raised towards the bench which is planned to go in the park on Leigh Road.

Vinnie, a husband, father and grandfather, also served in the RAF for 20 years, and his wife, Rachel, said: “He loved his job and enjoyed helping people.”

He was still working up until Christmas and manager of BID, Teresa Swann, said he has left a big hole.

She added: “When you’re a small team you work so closely together, we spoke everyday.

“It was a very big shock to us and they will be very hard shoes to fill.

“When we announced he’d passed away, people were really sad and will really miss him in the town.”

Vinnie’s funeral was on February 11 at Southampton crematorium, but because of Covid restrictions, only a limited number of people were able to attend.

Teresa added: “At the funeral they said he’d found his perfect job.

“He didn’t realise he was a people person until he became a town ranger and he loved helping people.

“It’s trying to celebrate him and what he did in the town and the bench will be somewhere that his family, kids and grandkids can go and sit and remember him.”

Donate to the JustGiving page here.