Tributes have been paid to the leader of a Polish church in Shepherd's Bush who was killed in an air crash at the weekend along with the country's president and dozens of dignitaries and senior officials.

Around 500 people attended a service at St Andrew Bobola Roman Catholic Church on Saturday evening to honour Monsignor Bronislaw Gostomski, who lost his life along with 96 others when their plane crashed in heavy fog during a landing in Smolensk, Russia.

Monsignor Gostomski had led the congregation of the Leysfield Road church for eight years and was a much-loved and well-respected figurehead for the Polish community in the borough and the rest of London.

The 62-year-old's death on Saturday morning, along with that of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, the president's wife and many civic and military leaders, came during a trip to mark the 70 th anniversary of a massacre of senior Polish figures by the Soviet secret police.

Former president Ryszard Kaczorowski, a parishioner of St Andrew Bobola, was also killed in the crash.

Dr Jan Mokrzycki, vice-chairman of the Federation of Poles in Great Britain, said his community was still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

"This was a huge shock to Poland and a huge shock to the community here, both from a national and a personal point of view," he said.

Dr Jan Mokrzycki said Mosignor Gostomski was loved by many people in Hammersmith and would much missed.

He said: "For him, priesthood was a calling, not a profession. He emphasised not just the religious part but the social part, and he was always ready to help anyone in need. He was someone you could really connect with."

Dr Mokrzycki said the monsignor embodied the 'humanity and humility' of the priesthood, and had worked hard to raise funds for the successful restoration of his church.

"He was extremely engaged in the community," he said.

Shepherd's Bush MP Andy Slaughter described Monsignor Gostomski as a 'popular and erudite parish priest'.

He said: "I have worked with him on several occasions over the last few years, and know that his dedication and love for his vocation and his parish will be impossible to replace.

"Ours hearts go out to families and friends of all the victims - here in Hammersmith, our thoughts are with those who were close to Father Gostomski, and his parishioners, who have lost a a good man and a wonderful parish priest."

Monsignor Gostomski was among community leaders who were invited to the Polish Social and Cultural Centre – better known as POSK - in Hammersmith earlier this year for a red carpet visit by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, held to mark the 30 th anniversary of the Polish Solidarity campaign.

He said at the time: "The Solidarity Movement was very, very important for us and for all these people. After a long battle, in the end we have a free democratic country."

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend a memorial service at St Andrew Bobola, to be held on Thursday at 7pm.