A POPULAR and long-standing former principal of Okehampton College Philip Herriman has died, aged 76.

Mr Herriman was born in Bristol on June 2, 1939 just before the Second World War. An only child, he moved to Manchester with his parents Harry and Mary Herriman during the war and later returned to Somerset to live in Clevedon.

He attended Durham University and read history in the late 1950s. After university he began to travel independently including hitchhiking across northern Africa with friends and spending two years in India working for Harrison and Crossfields.

His teaching career began in 1963 in Norwich at a school called Hawtreys and from then on he decided to pursue a career in education. A year later he got engaged to Coleen, his lifelong wife, companion and friend. Together they had two children, John born in 1968 and Sasha, born in 1970.

After completing an education course at Durham and a Masters in Education at Reading University, Mr Herriman taught in Chipping Campden, Wallsall and Bushet before becoming head of Okehampton College in 1984.

His tenure oversaw the expansion of the school into a community college. This allowed both parents and children to study at the school for the first time. Mature students studied alongside college students. There were also creche facilities at the school to enable parents with young children to study. The school also began to offer sport facilities for the local community.

During his headship at the school Mr Herriman oversaw the creation and development of the Octagon Theatre in the school grounds. He also led and oversaw the move of the school from a split site to a single site, making a huge difference to the practicalities of student life at the school. He retired from the post in 2002 and moved to Pitney in Somerset.

Outside of work he was very involved with the Okehampton and District Twinning Association and the Rotary Club. He was also an independent parish and district councillor for Sampford Courtenay.

He was also passionate about house renovation, taking on a number of homes that needed extensive renovation to turn them into the perfect family home. During his time in Devon the family made their home in Taw Green near South Tawton.

Just over two years ago Philip was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour. He underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and remained positive throughout the course of his treatment. He died earlier this month at St Margaret's Hospice, Yeovil surrounded by family. His funeral took place on Monday, July 20 at Taunton Crematorium.