Emotions ran high through warm tributes to a father, friend, politician and fireman.

The funeral service was held for former Ealing councillor Chris Payne at Christ the Saviour Church in Ealing Broadway on Thursday last week (February 13).

About 300 people, including family, friends, past and present councillors across all parties, the mayors of Ealing and Hillingdon, and Onkar Sahota, Member of the London Assembly for Ealing and Hillingdon, remembered Mr Payne who died from a heart attack, aged 57, on February 3.

Chris Payne, former Ealing councillor who died age 57 on February 3, 2014, from a heart attack.

Mr Payne was a councillor from 1994 to 2006, representing the Perivale and Elthorne wards, and for the majority of that time he was chief whip for labour, who were in power throughout that period.

Mr Payne was also a firefighter based at Ealing Fire Station until seven years ago when he started working as a fire safety officer for the NHS, which he did until the end of his life.

Leader of Ealing Council, Julian Bell, gave a speech in tribute to his former colleague and friend.

He said Mr Payne was a man who had dedicated his life to the public services.

Mr Bell said: “Chris was very affable, friendly, personable, supportive, down to earth, a real people person, but he also loved his politics.

“His three passions were his family, his politics and cricket. He was really well liked and had an ability to bring everybody together.

“I loved him as my friend and respected him as a politician. He was like an older brother to me and I shall miss him very much.”

He added: “The funeral was very emotional, people were shocked to lose such a good friend so suddenly. There were a lot of warm tributes, his niece read one on behalf of the family.”

Mr Payne leaves his wife Anita and son Henry, who is in his 20s.