'Amazing' engineer and musician from Sunderland dies at 79

John Morrell with his wife Dorothy and their sons Alex and Terry.

An “amazing” inventor, musician and former Sunderland shipyard worker has died at the age of 79.

Multi-talented John Morrell was an engineer who learned his trade at the Doxford yard, but eventually worked all round the country.

He married Dorothy in 1977 and moved to Sheffield, although Sunderland was always in his heart.

They formed a popular musical duo, the Jody Knight Set, he was a gifted guitarist and Dorothy played keyboards, performing rock n’ roll classics.

The multi-talented former shipyard worker John Morrell, who has died aged 79.

His hobby was electronics and he made his own instruments and amplifying equipment. He once made a pedal steel guitar by ‘simply’ borrowing one and copying it. He also virtually built the family home.

Dorothy said: “He was amazing. He could make anything.

“He was an extremely intelligent person and it’s sad that all that knowledge has died with him.”

John also leaves behind two sons, Alex and Terry. He would have become a granddad for the first time this October.