Fans mark anniversary Rolling Stone Brian's death

FORTY years after his death, the spirit of Rolling Stone Brian Jones lives on, say his fans.

Followers of the founder and leader of the 'greatest rock and roll band in the world' congregated at Brian's grave at Bouncers Lane Cemetery, in Cheltenham, to mark the 40th ann- iversary of his death.

As well as his girlfriend and mother of his son, Pat Andrews, and ex-flatmate Ian Hattrell, there were devotees from Italy, Bulgaria and the USA.

Pat said: "It's brilliant to see so many people here for Brian. He really was the leader and founder of the Rolling Stones and he's sort of been written out of history.

"I wish more people in Cheltenham would be proud of him, I don't understand why they are not."

A large number of the 50 mourners would have been children when Brian died.

One fan, 37-year-old Brian Turnbull, from Whitburn in Scotland, wore a brocade jacket and a blond pudding bowl haircut like his idol.

He said: "When I was a kid I saw a picture of Brian on a record cover and I thought it was me. Since then I've felt a connection and the more I looked into his life the more I was impressed by his musical ability."

One of the enduring themes of visitors to the guitar player's grave is how important he was to the Rolling Stones and the music of the 1960s.

Mary Cupanow was visiting with her husband Joe from Mountainville in New York State.

Mary, 45 said: "It if wasn't for Brian we wouldn't have had the music of the Stones or the 60s. He was so important to it and his guitar playing was brilliant. I'm hoping to start a tribute band just playing Stones covers from the Brian era."

Jackie Baker, 60, from Up Hatherley was one of the few Cheltonians to be present at the grave, which was festooned with flowers and had Brian Jones picked out in yellow flowers, with 40 picked out in white.

She said: "I was always a Rolling Stones fan, but I was ashamed never to have come to the grave. I read about the 40th anniversary in the Echo and I thought I would come along."

Brian was born in Cheltenham on February 28, 1942. He left for London and, in 1962, founded the Rolling Stones. He was in the band until a month before his death in 1969, when he was discovered in the swimming pool of his home at Cotchford Farm in Sussex.