Funeral of passionate fisherman

FAMILY and friends of Needham Market angler Mark Shave were today gathering to pay their last respects to the passionate fisherman.

On the day of his funeral, Mr Shave's family paid tribute to the "kind, thoughtful and adventurous" 32-year-old electrician.

His only brother, Andrew, said: "Mark was friendly, outgoing and confident and he got on well with everyone.

"He had a good sense of humour, was adventurous, kind, thoughtful, hard working and reliable.

"He was committed to the things he was passionate about, full of youthful enthusiasm and had a sense of fun."

A large crowd was expected to gather at West Suffolk Crematorium for Mr Shave's funeral today .

The body of the Pinecroft Way resident was pulled out of the water at popular carp fishing spot Wraysbury Lake, near Slough, on January 3.

He had been fishing with his friend Mark Bennett, 40, of Horley in Surrey, whose body had been found in the water on New Year's Eve.

The bodies were found during a police search, which was launched after a passer-by saw a sunken rowing boat.

In paying tribute to Mr Shave, his family shed light on his immense passion for carp fishing.

Andrew Shave said his brother's interest in fishing was sparked when he was a teenager holidaying on the Norfolk coast.

He began fishing in Blickling Lake and later went on to carp fishing and his main passion became the aim of landing big carp.

"He loved fishing at Wrasbury and occasionally Fen Drayton and Weybread," Andrew Shave said.

"He was a dedicated angler, often making a 300-mile round trip everyday for a week just to bait the swim where he would be fishing that weekend."

Mr Shave was well known in the fishing community and regularly appeared in angling magazines.

One of his proudest achievements was catching a 44lbs carp.

Another was writing a chapter in Carping Uncut, a book published by his best friend Jim Shelley, which was published shortly before Christmas.

Mr Shave spent most of his life in Old Newton, where many of his family still live, before moving to Needham market four years ago.

He was a student at Old Newton Primary School, Bacton Middle School and, later, Stowupland High School.

After choosing to pursue a career as an electrician he took up an apprenticeship with E.L. Smith at Rickinghall.

The company was subsequently taken over by Lark Electrical, where he was an employee for the last 12 years.

After his death one colleague said: "You couldn't ask for a nicer person."

In their tribute to him, Mr Shave's family said: "His girlfriend and family have been overwhelmed by all the tributes received from family friends and fellow anglers and wish to thank everyone for all their cards, letters, help and kindness at this sad time."

An inquest into Mr Shave's death has been opened and adjourned.

Do you have any memories of Mark Shave? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.