MEMBERS of York's music scene have paid tribute to Ken Southwell, who found fame as a winner of the first National Lottery draw.

Mr Southwell, 46, died on Thursday after a long battle against a brain tumour.

He gained celebrity status in November 1994, when he and six other winners each scooped £839,254 in the inaugural lottery draw.

Friends of Mr Southwell, who played trombone and guitar in several York bands in the 1980s and 1990s, have described him as a talented musician and a good friend.

Jem Walker of Copmanthorpe played with Mr Southwell in Jump The Gap and The Goosehorns.

He said: "He was one of the nicest guys. He did not have a bad word for anybody. He was a fantastically talented trombone player, and he wrote all the horn riffs for Jump The Gap."

But Mr Walker said life after the lottery win was not all positive.

He said: "He wanted to be a musician, but I had to tell him once that if you are in a local band and you have won the lottery people are not going to applaud you, because they are jealous."

Mr Walker went to Mr Southwell's farewell party at the Ship Inn in Acaster Malbis, just before Christmas.

He said: "I thought it would be the most awful thing in the world - you cannot have a live wake. But it was a great night, and he was there with his mates all the way through."

He said: "Ken was a very dear friend and a great confidante, and Ken and I would talk our troubles out together and that was a real comfort. He was a really nice bloke."

Dave Leaper, who went on to manage York chart-toppers Shed Seven, ran the Lynx Club at Clarence Street rugby ground with Mr Southwell in the 1980s.

He said the lottery win "did not change Ken at all".

"He was still a down-to-earth guy who had a passion for music," he said.

Steve Morrison, managing director of MOR Music in Fossgate, became friends with Mr Southwell through Jump The Gap.

He said: "He was a very honest, delightful guy. He had a great sense of humour and he was just a genuinely nice guy, and I had a lot of fun with him. We laughed until we cried a lot of nights."

Mr Southwell also performed in the York band High 'n' Dry. As well as music, Mr Morrison said Mr Southwell had an interest in cars, boats and skiing.

Updated: 09:23 Tuesday, May 23, 2006