FUNDS are being raised to remember a Basingstoke ‘legend’ who recently died, ‘Mr Clappy’.

Archie ‘Mr Clappy’ Smith was 79 when he died on March 1, and was well-known around the Basingstoke area for running around streets at the Top of the Town and clapping.

In a bid to make sure the Basingstoke personality is remembered, money is being raised to get a memorial placed in his honour.

One of the people who set up the petition is Simon Hood, who said: “We thought it would be great to remember him in some way, so we decided to set up the JustGiving page.

“We’d like to raise enough money for a plaque, a bench, or maybe even a statue, if we get enough money. He was such a well-known local personality in the area, that we wanted to do something to make sure that he is remembered.”

The funeral is due to be held at Basingstoke Crematorium on March 27, and on the way to the funeral at around 10:15am, the procession is going to stop in the Top of the Town and will then trace the route that Mr Clappy used to walk around.

Lyn Townsend, who used to care for Mr Smith, said: “He was a lovely man, who walked miles in all different weathers.”

Visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mrclappy.