The flag at Penlee RNLI station is flying at half mast this week in honour of a former lifeboatman who has lost his battle against terminal illness. Tim Osborne, aged 42, fought against motor neurone disease for seven years, a plight that touched local people who raised more than £10,000 to support him.

But last Tuesday, Tim who has one daughter, 13-year-old Katy, lost his brave battle and died following a bout of pneumonia.

This week his mother Christine Osborne, who was the secretary of his recovery fund, later renamed the support fund, told The Cornishman of the admiration she had for her son.

"I am immensely proud. I have never come across anyone so brave because he fought to the bitter end."

Mrs Osborne said that her enduring memory of Tim will be his infectious smile, something she says many of the visitors to the family home have commented upon this week.

"That was the last thing he did before he died. He just looked at me and smiled, and then he was gone," said Mrs Osborne.

Tim joined the RNLI in 1995 where he crewed both the Penlee all weather and inshore boats. He also worked as a shore helper and his brother David is a serving crew member.

But it was while he was away training with the RNLI in 2001 that he first noticed the onset of what his mother described as the "cruel disease".

As a result of the muscle wasting condition he stepped down from the crew and the Tim Osborne Recovery Fund was set up to try to find a cure for the condition.

In 2003 he told The Cornishman that he was determined to beat the disease.

Later that year local people rallied to raise £11,000 to fund a trip to Canada where he visited a neurologist in the faint hope that he may be cured.

Tragically it was not to be but his mother said this week that Tim was determined to live on his own, and "fight the disease in his own way."

Fundraising carried on under the new banner of a support fund which paid for a stair-lift and double electric bed to be installed in his Alverton home and for a new wheelchair.

Said Mrs Osborne: "He wouldn't accept any help, and always said that he was going to do it the way he wanted to do it."

But in recent weeks his health deteriorated when he was admitted to hospital suffering with a chest infection and died last Tuesday.

His parents say they have been touched by the many visitors to the family home, and have received more than 200 cards and bunches of flowers.

They have also thanked all the staff at West Cornwall Hospital, the Macmillan Nurses and his GP at the Penalverne Surgery for their care during his illness.

Tim Osborne's funeral will take place at St Peter's Church in Newlyn tomorrow at 11am.

His coffin will be draped in the flag of the RNLI and a guard of honour will be provided by local lifeboatmen.

A reception will follow at the RAOB in Belgravia Street, Penzance.

His parents have asked for family flowers and donations to be made to the Penlee Lifeboat Crew Fund.

article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN

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