MODEL enthusiast Mr Ivan Taylor died at his Trowbridge home on Tuesday, aged 67.

Mr Taylor had a great interest in circus transport vehicles, and spent five years working on a model of the Chipperfield Circus of the 1950s. He made and painted every piece by hand then travelled around the country showing his work. In 2004 his efforts were rewarded when he was named champion in the British Model Makers Awards, see picture.

Ivan Taylor was born in Devizes in 1938 but moved to Trowbridge with his parents and older brother Bernard as a child and grew up there. He attended Roundstone School before going on to the then Nelson Haden School.

On leaving education at 15 he began working at a farm in Chippenham where, still just a teenager, he met his future wife Sally. The couple were married in 1960 at Hilperton Chapel and had two children, Caroline and Christopher.

On leaving the farm Mr Taylor found work as a delivery driver with Waldens but in 1970 decided to go into business for himself.

He ran a wholesale confectioners business for 20 years but then decided to change jobs and became a security officer at Bath University, where he remained until retiring in 2002.

As well as his love for model-making and circus transport vehicles Mr Taylor was a keen cyclist and gardener and enjoyed spending time on the canals in his cruise boat.

His daughter runs the Footlights children's dance group and Mr Taylor would help out with staging productions. He always took on a role himself, the last time playing an Ugly Sister in Cinderella.

Mr Taylor also leaves four grandchildren, six-year-olds Joe and Abby and three-year-olds Ellen and Ryan.

His funeral service will be held at the West Wiltshire Crematorium, Semington, at 11am on Monday. Family flowers only, donations if desired can be made to Dorothy House Hospice, care of CS Bowyer funeral directors, Trowbridge.