Tributes have poured in for a much-loved former teacher and golf club president, who passed away last month.

Neil Hadfield, a former English Teacher at Keswick School, died aged 61 in April after a long battle with cancer.

Neil leaves behind a wife, Joanna, and two children: Catherine, 29, and James, 27.

He spent time as an English teacher and Head of Computers at Wyndham School, where he met fellow teacher and future wife, Joanna.

After Wyndham, Neil had a long spell at Keswick School between 1991 and 2017, where he taught English, and later held the roles of assistant Head Teacher and Head of Sixth Form.

Joanna said the number of tributes that came in for Neil – a dedicated teacher and much-loved friend - was “overwhelming”.

She said: “It was amazing to see how much he had affected peoples’ lives.

“I’ve been told that he was inspiring, and that he encouraged children to enjoy literature and enjoy reading.

“But not only that. He would always try and encourage children to do the best that they could.”

Among the heart-warming tributes were messages from former pupils, one of whom Neil had even supported with their research project in the last few months of his illness.

Neil carried the love of his boyhood football club, Middlesbrough F. C., with him throughout his life, striving to never miss a game and sometimes going down to the Riverside stadium to watch them when he could.

His love of the game extended beyond watching it, and he was an enthusiastic player right into his 50s.

As well as football, Neil’s other passion was golf.

Cockermouth Golf Club, where he was Men’s Captain in 2016 and president in 2021, played a huge part in his life.

More recently, Joanna and members of the golf club raised £570 for Hospice at Home West Cumbria in memory of Neil.

On top of golfing, Neil was also a keen quizzer and an even more enthusiastic bird watcher.

He was a member of the RSPCA and even received a mention in the Cleveland County records after spotting the rare European bee-eater bird.

In another touching gesture, Keswick School recently decided to dedicate their annual Year 7 Shakespeare Off-By-Heart Competition to Neil with a shield.