TRIBUTES have poured in for Southampton wrestler, promoter, music mogul and restaurateur Paul Lincoln who has died at the age of 78.

Paul, known on the circuit as Dr Death, passed away on Tuesday. He had been battling cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

With his infamous black leather mask, black robe and black boots, Dr Death brought fear to wrestling rings across the South throughout the ’50s and ’60s.

His alter ego was one of the sport’s first masked fighters and enabled him to take to the ring twice in one night.

He would often appear early in the bill under his own name and then again as Dr Death, doubling his fee for the evening.

Many tributes have been paid to Paul on an Internet forum for wrestling fans.

One user calling himself BritanniaWrestling said: “Another true British legend gone. If it wasn’t for guys like Paul Lincoln, there would be no British scene now.”

Another poster, Tony Kelly, added: “Paul was a powerful promoter and a great wrestler as Dr Death – all of his shows were a credit to the wrestling business.”

Born in Sydney, Australia, Paul came to Britain in 1951 and started wrestling and promoting his own events within a year.

Away from the ring, he helped turn fresh-faced teenagers into rock ’n’ roll stars through the 2 I’s coffee bar in Old Compton Street, London, he bought with a business partner in 1956.

The tiny basement became the spiritual home for Britain’s first generation of rock ’n’ rollers who went on to become household names including Tommy Steele, Sir Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Marty Wilde, Joe Brown, Screaming Lord Sutch and Wee Willie Harris.

Alongside the coffee shop and the music, he continued to work as a wrestling promotor, nurturing stars such as Mike Marino and the Cortez brothers.

Paul and his wife Elizabeth moved back to Australia in 1975 to bring up daughter Natalie, but returned to England 11 years later to set up home in Southampton.

The grandfather of three returned to the 2 I’s coffee shop in 2007 for the unveiling of a blue plaque to recognise his achievements in the entertainment industry and was joined by former proteges Sir Cliff Richard and Bruce Welch, among others.

Paul’s funeral will be held at the Southampton Crematorium, East Chapel, Stoneham Lane, on January 26 at 2pm.

Paul’s family has requested only family flowers. Donations should be made to Parkinson’s UK.

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