An eccentric Swanage hermit, who set up his home in a shack on the cliffs of Ballard Down over 30 years ago, passed away from pneumonia at Poole Hospital last week, aged 69. 

Arthur Bird (’Dick the Fish’) came to Swanage in 1969 en-route to Cornwall, but he stayed and built a stone and driftwood shack on the cliff-side at the north end of Swanage beach, where he found solace for the rest of his life.

His funeral will be at St Mary’s Church, Swanage, on January 7 at 11am.