A touching tribute has been made to a "gentle" former teacher of a high school just outside Merseyside.
John Barnes served Tarleton High School between 1998 and 2008 before he retired as deputy headteacher at the school after four years in the position. John is said to have been "deeply loved and respected" in the tight-knit community just north of Southport.
The tribute from the school said: "It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death of Mr Barnes who passed away peacefully on the 26th August. John was the deputy head at Tarleton until his retirement in 2008. He was deeply loved and respected by generations of families in the community.
