The father of nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow has died in a Hove nursing home.

James Stringfellow, a former steelworker who retired to the seaside, was 83.

Peter and his brothers were at Mr Stringfellow's bedside.

Last night Peter said: "I held one of his hands and my brother Geoffrey held his other and we were there when he passed away. It was very peaceful."

Peter said although his father was surprised by his choice of career, he always supported him.

He said: "My father was a very quiet, genuine, decent man. He was always very supportive of me although I think I baffled him many times.

"In fact, when I opened my first nightclub in a church hall in Sheffield, he was my first doorman. My mum was the receptionist and Geoffrey looked after the bottles of pop."

Mr Stringfellow had lived with his youngest son Terry in Holland Road, Hove, since his wife Elsie died nine years ago. But late last year, when his health began to fail, he moved into the Victoria Nursing Home in The Drive, Hove.

Peter, who owns nightclubs all over the world, said: "Dad and mum originally lived in Sheffield where he was a steelworker and later they moved to Leeds. But when I opened my first club in 1980, I thought it was time to bring them south and they chose Hove.

"Although he had had problems with his legs and chest, he was a strong man but last year he became ill and needed 24-hour care.

"He had a wonderful time at the Victoria and I managed to have Christmas dinner with him last year."

During the war, Mr Stringfellow served as a lance corporal with the Royal Scots Greys in Austria and Italy.

On leaving the forces, he returned to the steelworks. After moving south, Peter took his parents to see his clubs when they opened in New York and Miami.

Peter said: "There was no showbusiness in my family. Dad was a strong, calming influence on us all, emotionally and morally. He never raised a hand to us but all the brothers knew we were in trouble when he gave us a certain look."

As well as Peter, Geoffrey, Terry and another son Paul, Mr Stringfellow, who died on March 6, leaves seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Peter added: "After my mum was cremated, dad hung on to the ashes and we all knew it was so when he died, their ashes could be scattered together.

"We are now agonising over where that should be - Brighton and Hove where they had many happy years together or back in Sheffield, where they started their lives together and where we were all born.

"He was quite a private man. He wasn't a drinker and he didn't play golf or anything. He was like me without the nightclubs."

Mr Stringfellow's funeral service will be at Downs Crematorium, Bear Road, Brighton, tomorrow at 1.30pm.