Newquay surfboard will be etched with 2,000 people's names

Sam Joyce, right, remembered his good friend Will Jones for his infectious love of surfing

A Newquay surfer is working with shaper Ben Skinner on a board for families and friends mourning loved ones.

Teacher Sam Joyce, 31, lost his friend Will Jones, 29, in 2022 in a surfing accident in Peru.

Mr Joyce is working with Mr Skinner to produce a board with 2,000 names of those who have passed away on it.

The aim is to takes them out into the ocean for "one last wave", as a way to remember them in a place that was meaningful to them.

The name of Will Jones is etched into a sufboard

The idea was inspired by American Dan Fischer's One Last Wave Project, which has produced six boards so far etched with thousands of names sent to the project.

Mr Fischer, 42, founded the One Last Wave Project in January 2022 after he lost his father and his dog in 2019.

He etched their names onto one of his surfboards.

Will Jones, with Sam Joyce, who came up with the idea of a new surfboard remembering loved ones

Mr Joyce got in touch and his friend Will's name is etched on the fourth surfboard created by the project.

The seventh board, which will be created by Mr Skinner in Newquay, is understood to be the first of its type made in Europe.

Mr Joyce said: "Every day I think of my good friend Will.

"Something like that affects everybody in different ways and it leaves a hole for so many people."

He said seeing his friend's name on the fourth surfboard "brought back so many positive experiences".

"We shared so many surfs and fun times together, he was frothing at any sign of a wave and it was infectious," he added.

"I felt honoured when Dan allowed me to collaborate and release the seventh board here."

'Amazing idea'

Once One Last Wave Project gets enough names the board can be built and he will be taking it for a surf.

Mr Skinner said: "It's something that I think is an amazing idea.

"It's obviously close to a lot of people's hearts.

"Surfing is is one of those things in the community that pulls people together we jumped straight on when we were asked to by Sam."

He said he was "really looking forward" to creating the board.

"We're going to make a Cherry Picker, which is one of our most popular boards.

"It's got the widest tail which is going to be appropriate for fitting everybody's names on.

"And when you look at this board, you're definitely going to think about Cornwall, we've got a few ideas of how to do that. but we're pretty excited."