I first met Mike in 1997 through my (now) wife, Caroline. It was the following year, when a group of us went away for the August bank holiday to Somerset that I really got to know him. Throughout that weekend he kept us entertained with his wit and quiz skills (we upset the locals by winning the pub quiz!). The highlight of the trip was the evening Mike and I played table tennis at the B&B. Somehow, with an almighty crash, he managed to bring one of the ceiling beams down onto the table! Like most things with Mike, we just stood there crying with laughter as concerned members of our group arrived to see what had happened.

During the trip there had also been a number of other Mike “mishaps” and from then on he was given the endearing nickname of “Haphazard Mike”, which he enjoyed living up to whenever we met up.

Mike loved British history. He had a photographic memory for dates – historical events, reigns of Kings and Queens etc. It was incredible and very useful in quizzes, when he always came under pressure for us to play the joker on the history round. On the rare occasion that he got a history answer wrong he of course was subjected to enormous amounts of ridicule (simply because he was so good). Fall of the Berlin wall 1989, not 1990!

As well as being able to tell a joke, Mike was also very good at taking one. Inadvertently I put this to the test in May 2015. We had planned to go out with Mike for the day in Greenwich, meeting at the Cutty Sark. That Saturday morning it was announced that Princess Charlotte had been born and knowing Mike’s interest in British history I jokingly texted him and suggested that we should change our plans and join the crowds outside the hospital to celebrate. It was only when we arrived at the Cutty Sark and he wasn’t there (he was always on time) that I realised that my joke had backfired and he had actually gone to the hospital!  Mike true to form (thankfully) found the whole “misunderstanding” hilarious.

As well as joke telling Mike always kept us amused with his impressions. His Prince Charles being his favourite. He was very good at them. We often used to tell him that he could have a second career as an impressionist and also that he looked like Rory Bremner! (Google it). He used to scoff, but recently he did reluctantly confess that “some bloke had come up to him in Godalming High Street and asked him to do an impression”

Mike loved music, but not “modern commercialised” stuff. But rather Blues, Soul and of course his beloved Beatles. He enjoyed live gigs and I was lucky enough to go to one with him the Friday before his death. As ever, he was on good form and enjoying his job, having recently won two prizes at his firm’s annual conference. We enjoyed it and booked to go again 20th December, if anyone wants to join me in tribute to Mike, please let me know drew1.family@gmail.com

Mike was generous, kind hearted and always willing to help anyone. Be that gardening, construction, demolition (a particular skill), house moving etc. Of course any help also came with a lot of laughter and the occasional haphazard mishap! (driving the removal van the wrong direction down the motorway).

As already mentioned, Mike was always on time, never late. He used to pride himself on this and the immaculate condition of his car - never dirty!

Mike, you were great fun and a fantastic friend. You will be missed more than you or we can ever imagine.