Church pews were filled to capacity as mourners gathered to remember fondly the life of Jack Clark, who held the distinction of being his village's oldest resident.

Despite his 97-years Mr Clark was renowned for his energy and enthusiasm - especially when it came to acting as figurehead of the campaign to stop further expansion at Heathrow Airport.

He died earlier this month at his house in Sipson Road, Sipson, the village that had been his home ever since he moved from West Drayton aged only 14.

His funeral took place at St Mary the Virgin Church, Harmondsworth last Thursday at 1pm and dozens of his family, friends and acquaintances were there to pay their respects.

Among them were Bryan Sobey, president of Harm-ondsworth and Sipson Residents' Association (HASRA), and Linda McCutcheon, the chairwoman of HASRA and also member of No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG).

NoTRAG member Christine Taylor and chairwoman Geraldine Nicholson were also present.

By coincidence a protest against the third runway plans which threaten Sipson with destruction was taking place in London at the same time as the funeral.

However, Mrs Nicholson said: "As soon as we knew this was Jack's funeral date there was never anywhere else we were going to be. That's how much he meant to us."

The Reverend Canon Armatu Onundo Christian-Iwuagwuoa led the service and paid his own tribute saying: "It is a beautiful day to send Jack home; he was a man well loved by everyone."

Angela Keary is secretary of the West Drayton branch of The Pigeon Club, which Mr Clark had belonged to for many years. She said: "He was always like a dad to me, called me the daughter he never had."

His granddaughter Jackie Clark runs the hairdressers in Sipson and said: "He treated everyone the same, whether it was the Queen or a road sweeper. Everyone loved him."

Mr Clark worked in farms in Sipson for 40 years of his life with Wild and Robbins.

He watched Heathrow grow from a strip of concrete and a shed and spent 10 years driving for Hillingdon Council after the farm closed in 1967.

Mr Clark's wife died in 1999. Together they had four sons, three of whom - Brian, Colin and Robin - are still alive. There are eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Mr Clark was buried after the service in the graveyard behind the church which is just down the road from his beloved Sipson.