A central Somerset man has died just days after his 60th birthday.

Tributes have been flooding in for Nick Badman, a former Street resident who played for Morlands Cricket club during the early 1970s.

He had since moved to Shepton Mallet and had been the head of geography at Whitstone Secondary School.

He passed away at Yeovil Hospital last Tuesday following a bout of food poisoning.

Mr Badman had retired from teaching in summer 2008 and was due to celebrate his 60th birthday on Saturday two weeks ago.

Before he could celebrate with a party on October 31, he was taken into hospital and is believed to have died from complications arising from the food poisoning.

Within hours, tributes were pouring into social networking site Facebook from ex-pupils, former colleagues and family.

Merv Colenutt, a correspondent for the Central Somerset Gazette played cricket with Mr Badman and paid tribute to his friend.

"It is always a sad time when you hear of the loss of a very good friend, one that you have known for so many years," he said.

"My first thoughts on hearing of Nick's unfortunate passing, was that he was a very fine cricketer who had the ability to achieve so much more, a gentleman and an absolute charmer.

"He was one of a very rare breed of people that you could not fall out with – he had an almost built-in natural cheeky smile that always put you at ease in any company.

"He would talk for England and I always remember saying to him years ago that if they ever did a follow up to Hancock's half hour on the TV and Nick Badman took the starring role, the programme would have to be renamed Hancock's Three Hours, such was his character in talking to anyone at anytime whether it would be in the High Street or on a cricket ground.

"Fun, fun and more fun will always be in my memory of Nick Badman and my thoughts are very much with his family at this very sad time.

"Nick brought a lot of joy to so many and he will be fondly remembered by and I will always feel privileged to have known and played cricket with such a loveable character, he was special."