Members of the entertainment community have paid tribute to musician Will Read following his death.

Read, from Macclesfield, sadly passed away at home on August 7, with his friend and brother by his side, following a battle with cancer, with loved ones wanting to share his achievements with others who may not have known him.

The well-known and popular musician, 51, was able to play a wide range of instruments, including the drums, as well as being a talented vocalist. From an early age, he performed in a number of bands across Macclesfield, while still a student at Puss Bank Junior School.

By the age of 13, Read had joined his father, Roger, and older brother, Tom, gigging regularly before taking his talent one step further and performing with many well-known bands.

He played alongside local acts Take Five, Arthur Wakefield, Ronnie Darlington, Joint Effort, Grapevine, Manatees and Butterfly Jam. He was also principal percussionist with Bollington Brass Band during some of its most successful times.

But many will remember him for his time on Britain’s Got Talent in 2012, with his comedy act of The Showbears, who stole the show with their sparkly sailor suits.

The group charmed audiences in the live semi-final before becoming the surprise guest act in the final, with judge David Walliams even getting involved in their joyful routine.

Read’s trajectory went further after his showing on the variety show joining Gloria Estefan’s band in her 2013 European Tour, travelling to countries including Belgium and Switzerland, before becoming the musical director on Sun Cruises and performed as the drummer on the MV Seawing travelling all around the world.

In recent years, Read returned home to give back to his community, joining East Cheshire Council as a care assessor whilst also keeping up his music through home recording and tutoring other budding musicians.

Many on Facebook paid tribute to the ‘beautiful soul’ on his Facebook page, with many thanking him for helping them with their musical abilities.

One user wrote: “Sleep peacefully Will, what a beautiful soul you was. Such a great friend and a loveable character. You will be missed. Rest easy my friend xxx”.

Another commented: “Will was such a brave, amazing and beautiful person. He helped me so much with my singing. I will be forever grateful.”