One of Brighton fruit and vegetable market's most popular characters has died, aged 72.
Brian Marchant worked at the Circus Street market for 57 years, his only break being between 1949 and 1951 when he did his National Service.
Marchant left school at 15 to work in his grandfather's firm, E Marchant & Sons. He left the family firm in 1958 after his grandfather and father, both called Edward, died, and set up his own business, BE Marchant, supplying shops with fruit and vegetables from his stand.
He continued to trade until 1994, when his company went into liquidation.
But he stayed at the market, collecting pallets with his forklift truck until just before Christmas, when heart problems forced him to retire.
Marchant leaves a wife, Kathleen, a son, Michael, a daughter, Christine, and three grandchildren. The funeral took place today (March 22) at St Martin's with St Wilfred's Church in Brighton, where he was married nearly 55 years ago.
