A GREAT broadcaster. A mentor. A friend. These are among the many tributes paid to John Myers following his death at the age of 60.

The former Border TV presenter and founder of CFM radio station died at the weekend. It is understood that he fell ill while playing golf in Scotland on Saturday.

John grew up on Carlisle’s Harraby and Belah estates. In the 1980s he was a hugely popular continuity announcer on Border Television, often appearing with his puppet sidekick Eric the Monkey.

He launched CFM in 1993 and became a national radio executive, buying stations worth more than £100m.

In January last year John was diagnosed with throat cancer. He was given the all-clear after four months of treatment at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

Jim Graham, former managing director of Border Television, said: “John was an outstanding presenter, and a great friend. He had a gift. When anybody else comes up on screen, it’s just a face. Not John. He was a personality.

“There’s an old television phrase - ‘He broke the glass’. John was looking right at you. Mike Neville had the same thing. It’s a great gift. You can’t learn it.

“There was a great brain behind that. I remember seeing John open the second-biggest commercial radio station outside London, at Salford Quays. I felt so proud of him. He built something really, really big out of the blue. People like that, they don’t even come once in 10 years.”

Jim sent John supportive messages during John’s health problems last year. “When I saw him after he’d been given the all clear he looked great. I thought ‘That’s fabulous - he’s got through’.”

Jim added: “John wasn’t good - he was outstanding. But he never lost that cheerful bonhomie. He would look you in the eye and smile. He was a great Carliol - always proud of his roots. Cumbria has lost somebody very special.”

Karen Jones is development manager at the University of Cumbria. John was made an honorary fellow of the university in 2012.

Four months ago its Brampton Road campus in Carlisle hosted An Evening With John Myers. Fellow broadcaster Fiona Armstrong interviewed John about his life and career. A capacity crowd donated £1,000 which John gave to the Northern Head and Neck Cancer Charity.

Karen said: “He beat cancer, and for this to happen - it’s just awful. I met him in London a couple of weeks ago. He’d just been to Rupert Murdoch’s flat. Rupert Murdoch had contacted him about some project.

“John was incredibly supportive of our students. He’d talk to them and give them his email address. The student who edited the film of his event at the university: John sent him some lovely emails. And he gave him some advice that he often gave people - have a firm handshake.

“John was blown away with the response to that night. Beforehand I was making contact with people like Carolyn McCall - the head of ITV - and Jeremy Vine. And they would come straight back with a video message paying tribute to John.

“He treated people with respect but with kindness as well. You could have fun with him. He was a gentle giant. He would do anything for anyone. He lived life to the full because he knew life was so precious. He touched so many people’s lives.”

Since 2013 John had written a monthly column for Carlisle Living magazine. He was also chair and host of the Carlisle Living Awards since its inception in 2014.

Richard Eccles was editor of Carlisle Living until last December. “He was always incredibly positive and glass half full,” said Richard. “That didn’t mean he didn’t have moments of doubt about himself. But he bounced back quickly.

“He was a very great supporter of the magazine and Carlisle. He really loved being part of Carlisle Living. The positive ethos of the magazine chimed with John, especially when it came to championing his home city. He had this amazing national career as a radio mogul. But he really liked being part of the Carlisle scene.

“I asked him to be a columnist. He was very flattered but doubtful he would be able to do it. Although he was a radio person and had a great gift for speaking, he was a very, very good columnist and writer. And he gave a massive amount of time as chair of the awards’ judges.

“All the things people have said - they’re all true. He was larger than life, fun, always wanting to see the funny side of something.

“Personally, he was a great friend and mentor. I’ll always remember the support and friendship he gave me unfailingly through my final year at Carlisle Living in 2018. That was when he was being treated for and recovering from cancer. He always had time to give me advice and support.

“We used to meet up for a coffee and crack every few weeks, whenever he was in town.

“I last saw him when we went to [former CN Group chief executive] Robin Burgess’s memorial service together in April. I can’t believe John’s gone too.”

John was married to Linda for 36 years.

They had two children, Scott and Kerry, and lived in Northumberland.

After being given the all-clear from cancer, John told the News & Star last year: “If there was one person who really got me through it, it was Linda.

“She never left my side in those four months and ensured I got the right drugs at the right time, was taken to hospital and returned and, best of all, always made me laugh and think positively.”