FAMILY and friends have paid touching tributes to “our rock” Dave Jones who inspired generations of children as a PE teacher in Rayleigh.

Dave Jones worked at the FitzWimarc School for more than 40 years and taught thousands of students during his career.

He rose to become head of PE, and also mentored as his replacement Danny Cowley who is now manager of Portsmouth FC.

His wife Sharon, sons Andrew and James, and grand-daughter Annabelle, told the Echo: “Dave was our hero, a steady, loyal gentleman.

“Above all, he was our rock and although he could be temperamental and stubborn, we loved him!

“Dave’s greatest strength was his motivation and inspiration to young students, as he led by example. He could have prolonged his life by a few months, but the pragmatist he was, he said ‘No thanks, I am going home to my family’.”

Mr Jones died on Saturday shortly after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Danny Cowley, who spent nearly 15 years at the school, said he would not be where he is today without Mr Jones.

He said: “I owe Dave an awful lot. He gave me my first role in teaching, I learnt so much from him, he created a wonderful legacy at the FitzWimarc School, and he gave so many young people opportunities.

“He has an unbelievable knowledge across sports, and as a newly-qualified teacher I learnt so much from him, especially how to work hard - he was incredibly inspirational.

“I’ll be forever thankful for what he did for me, and I wouldn’t have been able to have gone on and had the life I have without his contribution. I’m sure many staff members and pupils would feel the same.”

John Turburville, who is was a student of Mr Jones from 1994-99 and is now assistant headteacher at the school, said: “I have some very found memories of Dave teaching me PE, and only now, being a teacher myself, I realise how dedicated he was.

“Mr Jones was an inspiration to thousands of pupils.”

Former headteacher and colleague, Ken Newcombe, said: “His generosity of giving his time to the school was immense, he was highly respected and admired amongst both his staff and the wider PE community in Essex.”

Assistant headteacher Julie Parrott added: “Dave was a great mentor and I learnt more from him in my first year, than at PE college. He was a really good friend, and I’ll miss him dearly.”