A MEMORIAL service will be held this Sunday to commemorate the life of a man who was at the heart of the Barry community for decades - as a teacher, a Justice of the Peace and a sportsman.

John Henry Beer died aged 68 on January 30, while on holiday in Alicante, Spain.

He served the town as a magistrate for almost 30 years, and will also be known to generations of local people as head of Barry Boys Middle School.

Norman Pereira, a teaching colleague, said: "My relationship with John Beer was rather unique.

"He was a sixth former at Barry Grammar School when I arrived. He had outstanding qualities that set an example to us younger pupils.

"He was a powerful athlete, whose javelin record stood for many years. He was also a superb craftsman - the evidence of which still remains in the school in the form of a beautifully made lectern.

"He returned to the school as a teacher when I was in sixth form. He set down the strictest rules of discipline until the day he retired.

"When I joined the staff of the school as a teacher and became his colleague, I benefited from his loyal friendship and professional support."

Born in Gloucestershire, his family moved to Barry when he was 11.

He was an outstanding all-round sportsman who studied at Loughborough. John excelled at cricket and represented Wales as a schoolboy, but also enjoyed water polo, football and table tennis.

A report in the Barry and District News from the 1960s reported that John hit one of the biggest sixes ever seen on the Barry Island ground.

The ball travelled as far as the promenade.

John was the youngest Justice of the Peace in the county when sworn in at the age of 32 in 1971. He retired from the bench in 2001.

His wife Eira said: "I think John was well respected by Barry's criminal fraternity, as he knew many of them well from school."

The memorial service will be held at Barry Comprehen-sive School on Sunday, March 13, at 11am.