Memories of Ron Purse, Winchester character

Ron Purse, known to many as the "Burping Man", died at homes in Fivefields Road, Highcliffe, in 2006, aged 71.

Mr Purse was a familiar figure on city streets, pushing his decorated pram around during the annual Hat Fair and at Christmas.

Former mayor Chris Pines, who had known Mr Purse for decades, said: "He was a lovely old thing. He had a heart of gold, although his way of dealing with things was not often the most sensible.

"If he knew you had a birthday he would find something on the street and wrap it in newspaper and give it to you.

"He was a Winchester character. In a strange kind of way he was one of the people that Winchester accepts and looks after and makes Winchester that kind of slightly oddball place."

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Mr Purse would talk to strangers in the street with a cheery "Never mind, soon be Christmas!" or "Soon be Easter!"

He played the role of peacemaker during an anti-poll tax demonstration in the Guildhall in the early 1990s. Protesters had hijacked a council meeting and feelings were running high with police on their way. Mr Purse, who had tagged along, stood up and in his high-pitched voice appealed for calm. The resulting widespread laughter defused the situation.

The late author Terry Pratchett, who lived near Salisbury and visited Winchester regularly, when he spoke to Belgarum dispelled popular rumours that he had based one of his characters on Mr Purse.

But not everyone was an admirer. Mr Purse would fail to abide by the two-minute silence on Remembrance Day and, a former caretaker at the School of Art, would attend the graduation shows and give forthright opinions on the students' work.

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