HUNDREDS of mourners packed St Marie’s RC Church and lined the streets outside the Town Hall to pay their final respects to a man affectionately dubbed “Mr Bury”.

The poignant outpouring of sympathy proved a fitting farewell to Bury’s deputy mayor Cllr John Byrne who died suddenly last month at the age of 73.

A Labour councillor who served East ward for a continuous 27 years, he leaves a wife, Brenda, and fours sons, Michael, Anthony, Andrew and Neil.

On Friday, more than 300 mourners huddled inside St Marie’s RC Church in Manchester Road for a funeral service, a requiem mass celebrated by Father Francis Wadsworth.

Afterwards, the hearse bearing Cllr Byrne’s coffin stopped briefly outside Bury Town Hall to allow staff, who lined the pavements on both sides of the street, to stand in silent tribute. This was followed by burial at Bury Cemetery.

Family, friends, dignitaries, current and former councillors were among the mourners at the service. Many had to stand in the aisles as every pew was full. Those attending included several Greater Manchester mayors, former Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester Sir John Timmins, Bury North MP David Nuttall, his Bury South counterpart Ivan Lewis and former Bury North MP David Chaytor.

At the service, Father Wadsworth said: “John was a man who was, at heart, a family man. John was a great lover of sport. One of his sons said he would even watch a slug race on TV. John’s contribution to the life of this town has been great over many years.”

A reading was given by Cllr Roy Walker before former Bury Council chief executive Dennis Taylor gave an effusive and heartfelt tribute to his close friend.

He said: “We come today not just to mourn the passing of a great man, but to celebrate and give thanks for the life of John Byrne — a devoted husband and family man, Mr Bury, a teacher, a leader, a wise man and friend to us all.

“Bury has lost one of its greatest ever champions of the people, but his legacy will live on forever.”

He went on to chronicle Cllr Byrne’s life, recalling his education at St Marie’s infants and junior school before going on to De La Salle College in Salford and Sheffield University where he graduated with a BA in Latin and French. He taught Latin at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Blackburn, and was later a head of year and French master at Redbrooke Middle School, Rochdale. Prior to retirement, Cllr Byrne was deputy head at Hattersley High School, Tameside.

Cllr Byrne was an avid sportsman and, later, a passionate fan. His first love was cricket although he played football and was a first class referee.

Mr Taylor went on: “In party politics, he was undeniably Bury’s greatest champion on the regional and national stage. When John Byrne spoke for Bury, Prime Ministers, Secretaries of State and regional leaders listened. The town’s voice was always heard. Friends, foes, colleagues and adversaries and the man and woman in the street all recognised John’s greatness and his achievements in the service of his home town and the townspeople he loved.

“You have inspired me since the day we met and I will never forget you — John Byrne, Mr Bury, but most of all my very dear friend.”

Later, traffic in the town centre was stopped briefly as the funeral cortege, led by a police car, travelled down Angouleme Way and then into Knowsley Street. Outside the town hall, the hearse paused for 30 seconds to allow council staff lining the street to pay their final respects.