A MEMBER of top Sixties band The Kestrels has died after suffering a heart attack while on holiday in Crete.

Geoff Williams, who was 71, was sunbathing on a beach near his holiday hotel on the Greek island.

His funeral service will be held at Bristol Cathedral on Thursday, September 16, at 11am and all who knew him are welcome.

Mr Williams, who lived in Worle, Weston-super-Mare, was a member of close harmony group The Kestrels who won a TV talent contest in 1958 which led to a recording contract with Pye Records.

Their first song, Chapel in the Moonlight, made the charts but by then all four members – Geoff Williams, Roger Greenaway, Roger Maggs and Tony Burrows – were doing their national service.

They continued their singing career afterwards, working with all the top stars of the day including Cliff Richard and the Shadows and Shirley Bassey, even supporting The Beatles twice nightly for six weeks at the height of Beatlemania.

After seven years The Kestrels disbanded. The two Rogers went on to become prolific songwriters and recording artists.

Mr Williams joined the then Bristol Constabulary which later became Avon and Somerset police. He transferred to West Mercia Police in 1978 where he rose to the rank of chief inspector.

He became chairman of the Police Federation Joint Branch Board and it was in recognition of his work in this role that he received an MBE from the Queen.

When he retired in 1995, after 30 years' service, he moved to Weston- super-Mare but just before he retired, he arranged a reunion of the four original band members.

The Kestrels reunited and have since raised more than £50,000 for different charities.

In 2006 The Kestrels sang at the Colston Hall's Festival of Remembrance in aid of the Royal British Legion.

Old school friend Hugo Pike met Geoff when they were at Bristol Cathedral School together.

He said: "Geoff was a chorister and his singing ability continued right through to his involvement with The Kestrels. As a young lad he was quiet but as his singing career took off he became more extrovert. He was one of those people who had a passion for life."

On his return to the west country Mr Williams joining the council of the Cathedralian Society at his old school, becoming president in 2006. This year he was elected to be chairman of the council.

He died on August 20. He failed to return to the hotel where he was a regular guest and was found on the beach the next morning.

He leaves a son, Mark, and grandchildren Georgina, Victoria, Daniel and Stephanie.

Following the funeral there will be a cremation service at Canford Crematorium at 12.30pm and afterwards mourners are invited to the Avon Gorge Hotel.

The family has requested that instead of flowers, mourners make donations to the Princess Alice Hospice and Cancer Research, via undertaker GF Hunt at 41 Livingstone Road, Bath, BA2 3PH.