THE father of 60's rock star Jim Capaldi, who was born and bred in Evesham, has told of his heartache following the death of his son.

Mr Capaldi, the 60-year-old drummer for psychedelic rock group Traffic, died from stomach cancer at a Harley Street clinic last Friday surrounded by close family members.

His father Nick Capaldi from Battleton Road, Evesham said he did not realise his son was ill until three weeks before his death.

The 91-year-old said: "It's a terrible blow to me, it really is. It's the worse thing that's happened to me in my lifetime.

He was very generous, kind and sweet, and his friends could depend on him. He rang me about three weeks ago and said 'Dad, I've got cancer,' so my nephew and his son drove me up to Marlow, where he lived, in Buckinghamshire.

I was expecting to see him poorly but he wasn't a bit, he was magnificent. He was playing the drums and bongos."

Mr Capaldi senior said his late son, who first began playing the drums on his mother's pots and pans lived for music throughout his life.

He said: "Jim was a great child - he was interested in music and drums at the age of about seven. I played the accordion and I encouraged him musically but he didn't need it really. From an early age he was gone on rhythm. Very soon he started a group when he was about 14 or 15 years old playing the drums and guitar. I'm very proud of his achievements."

Jim Capaldi, who attended St Mary's School and Evesham High School, rose to fame after forming Traffic with fellow Birmingham musician Steve Winwood and enjoyed hits with Paper Sun and Hole in My Shoe in 1967.

He also penned many of the band's hits in a musical career that spanned over four decades.

The musician, who was 60 when he died, leaves a wife Aninha and daughters Tabitha, 28, Tallulah, 26. His funeral is set to take place in Marlow next Tuesday.