TRIBUTES have been paid to a beloved musician who has died of a rare form of cancer.

Julian Milner was just 53-years-old when he died after a six month long battle with Burkitt's Lymphoma which he fought bravely.

The former George Hastwell School teacher was well known in the local music world.

He played multiple instruments including guitar and bass in many bands.

Julian was also a drummer in popular urban percussion ensemble Deatbeats.

The loving dad had a son Magnus, eight, with partner Diana Merrick, who he met later on in life at a party on Piel Island.

“He was an amazing musician and was a gentle, kind man who looked after me very well," said Diana.

“We met when we both got tickets for a party on Piel Island.

"I was dressed as a wench and him a Viking.

“Looking at the Facebook photos afterwards I noticed we were both glancing at each other across the table.

“He managed to prise my number off my friend in the end.

“After a few weeks of seeing him I decided that he was the one for me.

“I would like to say a big thank you to the staff at Blackpool Hospital haematology department as they made us feel like family there. They were absolutely unbelievable.”

Before meeting Diana and settling in Ulverston, Julian had previously spent a lot of his life in Stoke-on-Trent and later Orkney, where his parents Bryan and Jackie live.

He then lived in Carlisle.

His father Bryan, said: “He was great at relating to people.

"He was a musician in a number of bands, a keen canoeist and he was great with machines.

"He could do all sorts or repairs maintenance.

"He was also an artist and practised traditional stone lithography.

“He had a change in his life after his brother died from epilepsy about 11 years ago.

"He wanted to sort his life out and start a family, and named his son Magnus after him.

“In the last months of his life he showed so much determination but in the end his body could not cope anymore.

“He was an uncut diamond but a diamond nonetheless.

“He was a terrific dad and loved his son to bits.”

One of his bandmates from Deatbeats, Neil Armstrong, said: “Julian was quite quiet.

"But you would think that if you saw him drumming, he had a large and very loud drum.

"He was an integral part of the band.

“He will be sorely missed.”