Cornish boxing champion's grave found and cleared in the US

He was known as Ruby Bob because of his red hair, so Mr Wearne said the red granite seemed "appropriate"

A man has found and restored the abandoned grave of one of the earliest world heavyweight boxing champions

Bob Fitzsimmons was world champion in three different boxing weight divisions in the 1890s.

Born in Helston, Cornwall, he spent his youth in New Zealand before spending his fighting career largely in the US.

Jim Wearne found the grave in his home city of Chicago and arranged for it to be cleaned up and the stone raised.

He said he found it in the Graceland Cemetery, in a section that was "not classy or fancy", and the grave was "stained, had been vandalised, dirty and covered with rubbish".

The 20in (50cm) stone had also sunk, so it was below ground level.

• Jim Wearne speaks to BBC Radio Cornwall about finding the grave

Mr Wearne, who has family in Helston, was aware of Bob Fitzsimmons' history.

The gravestone had sunk below ground level before Mr Wearne found it

He said: "This was no way to remember a Helston lad.

"I've been to Helston several times, have seen the house he was born in, and thought somebody should do something about this, and that probably should be me."

He discovered there were no direct descendants of Mr Fitzsimmons and spoke to the cemetery about what could be done.

"They found it could be raised enough that it sat above ground by a good 8in (20cm). They could clean it up, for no charge," he said.

In order to pay for some improvements, including a bronze plaque detailing his life, Mr Wearne set up a fundraising page and collected more than $1,000 (£800).

Mr Wearne says he hopes people will now visit the grave and learn more about Bob Fitzsimmons

He said: "Now it is very nice.

"There is this floral mat growing over the grave, the stone looks fresh - it looks like it was made yesterday.

"The plaque is there shining at the side of the headstone and so I was very pleased.

"Hopefully now people will come and see it, and find it and be able to appreciate a little bit of who is there."