THE Hampshire music community is in mourning after the death of one of its leading lights.

Tributes have been pouring in for keyboarder player, singer, songwriter and former entertainment agent and nightclub boss Mick Haly.

The Eastleigh dad-of-two is most famous for his role as frontman for 60s revival band Peter Pod and the Peas which performed with such giants as Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Searchers and Marmalade.

He died on Thursday night at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham after a long illness.

The 59-year-old grandfather, of Lesley Loader Court, had been involved with a number of bands such as Infrareds, Mojos, Magic Roundabout, Merlin, Arcade and Jumbo until taking on the persona of Peter Pod for the past 26 years.

The band made two albums and a single and Mick turned professional for a brief spell but stopped to concentrate on family life and became a British Rail clerk of the works.

Peter Pod and the Peas also raised tens of thousands of pounds for more than a dozen Hampshire charities.

His eldest daughter Donna said she and her sister Carolyn have picked up his encyclopaedic knowledge of music. She said: “Family and music were his passions, he lived for music and spending time with his grandchildren. He was a joker who always wanted to make people laugh.”

Long-time friend and band member Patrick Curran said: “Even when he was ill he wanted to come with us when we played, he was an inspiration. Music was his life, it meant everything to him and I think it was that which kept him going. We will keep going with the band, it’s what he would have wanted.”

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