The curtain has risen on a touching tribute to Sir Ray and Lady Tindle in one of their favourite spots in Farnham.

A bench on Lion & Lamb Yard where the media titan and his wife frequently sat has been dedicated to the couple.

Their son, Owen, and his wife, Jane, both attended the unveiling ceremony on Monday with Farnham mayor, Cllr Brodie Mauluka and Jacoba Murray doing the honours.

The tribute was the brainchild of former Coffee Diem owner George Murray as Sir Ray and Lady Tindle were frequent customers at the popular café.

“They were such wonderful people when they came here and in the last years of their life they really enjoyed it,” said Cllr Murray, who thought it would be “nice to remember their service to Farnham”.

“You could see it was the highlight of their day and the staff here really enjoyed talking to them. They were funny and always joking.

“They were always very generous, easy to deal with and there was no pretension whatsoever.”

Owen claimed Sir Ray enjoyed his visits to Coffee Diem as it gave his father the chance to “slow down”.

He said: “They would chill out, enjoy coffee and do some people watching here, and this was their favourite spot.”

The latter half of the statement is repeated on the plaque on The Sir Ray and Lady Tindle Bench: Dedicated servants to the people of Farnham.

Representatives from Farnham Town Council were also at the unveiling with Cllr Alan Earwater saving the day after a shopper removed the fabric covering the plaque.

“Sir Ray and Lady Tindle are Farnham to me,” said the town’s new mayor, Cllr Mauluka.

“I’m really proud to have opened this bench and I think the community will use it as much as they did.”