A CRAFTSMAN who worked tirelessly on his vision to light up Burnham with a trail of 32 lighthouses has died aged 48.

Despite suffering from bowel and lung cancer, Paul Plume worked on his creations while undergoing chemotherapy for his illness.

He died on Monday at St Margaret’s Hospice in Taunton.

The lighthouses he created, which were part of a summer trail around the town, were auctioned off for the charity, Petal, which was set up by close friend Scott Woodberry.

Paul worked for over 30 years as a foreman at Woodberry and Haines furniture suppliers in Highbridge, a company owned by Scott’s father, Chris.

However while he was there he would also work into the night on his own charity projects which included cutting up wood for the lighthouses or making mini-golf pitch and putt holes which he would take to fairs.

His talents reached a peak when he created his own Dalek which he stored on the premises. When the firm went into administration the Dalek was sold for £500.

On Paul’s insistence the money went to charity and the donation was made recently to Cancer Research and Mac-millan Cancer Support.

Scott told the Weekly News his close friend would be sorely missed. He said: “Paul was a truly wonderful bloke. He always had to keep busy, even when he was ill, which shows you the kind of man he was.

“I set up the charity Petal in memory of my mother, Christine, who died in 2008, and Paul supported me with a lot of fundraising.

“The £8,000 he raised from the auction of the lighthouses was donated to the charity and we will be looking to make a donation to St Margaret’s Hospice, where he died, in his memory.

“Paul teamed up with Highbridge and Burnham Arts to make the lighthouses and it was a great project.”

Paul’s son, Alex, aged 18, told the Weekly News he was sure his father would be well remembered for his lighthouse creations, of which he had been very proud.

He also leaves wife, Sally, and another son, Lewis, 21.

Burnham’s business and tourism manager Ian Jefferies said: “It’s really sad. He worked so hard to get those lighthouses out ... it gave him some good focus.

“What a great lovely guy – he was just one of life’s nice people.

“The lighthouses were a great way for people to remember Paul. I really hope that people get along to Trinity Close, where the houses are lit up, and put money in the collection for Petal which was a charity close to Paul’s heart. It’d be really nice for his legacy to continue and hopefully we can all get together next year and arrange something to remember him.”