TRIBUTES are being paid to a doting father, grandfather and great-grandfather who was a member of Barrow’s ‘almost famous’ band.

Tony Flanagan was the drummer of Chapter Five, a Furness band on the hunt for fame in the 1960s.

In 1966 they were in the Radio London charts with Anything You Do Is Alright and You Can’t Mean It.

The record later became a cult classic on the Northern Soul disco circuit and was re-released in more recent years.

The group went on to cut another record with CBS called One In A Million, which featured on the BBC’s Juke Box Jury.

They also shared a stage with the likes of Ike and Tina Turner, Manfred Mann, Billy Fury and The Kinks.

“Everywhere we went we had music underlying our whole childhood. It was so much fun,” said daughter Sarah Carrick. “Everything he did was music - he couldn’t even drive without drumming on the dashboard.

“He wrote for The Mail. He had a column called seen and heard where he was reviewing the local band and gig scene.

“We’ve had so many messages from all sorts of people. He knew so many people and so many people knew him.

“He was an inspiration to a lot of them. We’ve had messages from other drummers who said how much support he gave young musicians as well as advice and encouragement.

“He was just the kindest man, really lovely.”

Tony kept his love for music alive even during his later years, performing with the group Soul Survivors, a group which Sarah was also a part of.

Tony, who was born on Scott Street in Barrow, was 84 when he died.

Sarah said that her dad was ‘hard to pigeonhole’ as he had a variety of interests.

She said: “He was a fitter and turner in the shipyard and then in Sellafield and other places but he also wrote. He wrote songs, he wrote poems, he had written a full musical.

“He would suit up in Sellafield in an anti-radiation suit and he’d be reciting Shakespeare to himself to keep himself busy.

“He was just interested and curious all the time.”