A FUNDRAISING campaign has successfully led to a lasting tribute to one of Canvey’s best-known musicians.

Lee Brilleaux was the singer with Dr Feelgood until his death from lymphoma in 1994 when he was just 41.

His last performance was at the Oysterfleet Hotel, on Canvey.

Zoe Howe, his biographer, started fundraising for a memorial after his bench on Leigh Cliffs, was sadly stolen.

She wanted to replace the bench and quickly started fundraising for a replacement.

Money flooded in and she acquired the £809 for the bench and plaque in just four hours.

However, before a new bench could be installed, the old one was recovered by the council and put back - this time securely bolted down.

Zoe, 37, of Southend, said: “When we got the bench back, I contacted everyone who had donated to see if they wanted their money back, but everyone said to put it towards something good.

“I did think about donating it to a lymphoma charity, as that is what Lee died from, but the money was for a memorial and I thought it would be nice to have something on Canvey.

“I spoke to his wife to see if there was anything that was special to him.

“She said they used to have a double flowering cherry tree that used to flower around his birthday.”

Zoe decided to put the money towards a tree and plaque, as well as donating the rest of the money to Lymphoma Society.

This was unveiled on Friday.

Anyone is welcome to go and view it in the memorial garden behind the Labworth Beach Cafe with the Monico in the background.

There is also a plaque to him at the base of the tree.

Zoe thanked Southend and Castle Point councils for their work in getting the tree planted, and the people who kindly donated.

She said: “He does have a blue plaque at the Oysterfleet, but I thought the more people that remembered him, the better.

“He has a special connection to Canvey and this should be remembered.”

Lee Brilleaux moved to Canvey when he was 13 and co-founded Dr Feelgood with Wilko Johnson in 1971 – and they subsequently shot to fame. Zoe’s biography of him, Lee Brilleaux: Rock and Roll Gentleman, is being released in paperback format soon.