COUNCILLOR Derek Boden, leader of the council, paid tribute to the man he has known for many years.

"It's very sad that he died so soon into his retirement from public duties," he said. "He, more than anyone else, had earned a rest and to be able to enjoy life without the pressures and responsibilities he faced as a member of the council.

"The borough has lost someone who gave a great deal of his life to public service. I am only pleased that we were able to find an appropriate way of recognising that service, which might give some little comfort to his family and all of us.

"Our sympathy goes to his relatives and to all those who benefited from his public-spirited work over the years."

Councillor David Higgin, Tory group leader, described him as an excellent councillor.

"In all the time I knew him, some 26 years or so, I was always impressed by his dedication to his constituents. He was forever working on their behalf.

"He was also a really friendly chap, a real gent, who used to ask you about your family and who took an interest in people.

"I am really sad he's passed away. It's sad loss to the town, which will be worse for losing him.

"He was involved in charities too numerous to mention, and did lots of work for the Arts and Crafts Centre. In many ways he was an old-fashioned Labour man. I had a lot of respect for David."

And Councillor Wilf Davison, Lib Dem leader, said: "I didn't know David Davies very well personally, but I heard so much about him. I was very supportive of giving him the Freedom of the Borough and I was very pleased that that eventually went ahead. He did a great deal of work both on the council and for outside organisations. He was a very respected man." THE Rev Ruth Wollaston, minister of the Bury South Group of URCs, told how David Davies's involvement in the church was so important.

He attended Blackford Bridge since the 1940s - then a congregational church - and became an elder and lay preacher, taking services both in Bury and elsewhere by invitation.

"He was from the Welsh non-Conformist strand of churchmanship," she said.

"His socialist principles were informed by his Christian faith and the other way round. He was a very strong Christian man. His faith shaped his values and his life very much, we could all see that.

"When I came here, I remember him coming to worship and he was always very kind and supportive, asking if I was settling in. That made a great deal of the difference for a newcomer like me. He never lost his interest in other people.

"As Christians, we are glad he is at rest because we knew how frail he was. But as a person, the person they remember, we will miss him very much."

MR Bill Whitton, president of the Rotary Club of Bury which last year awarded Mr Davies the Paul Harris Fellowship, said: "This award is given to people whom the Rotary Club think have given great service to their community.

"These are people who have gone a step beyond what is expected of each person. "Mr Davies devoted his life to the service of the people of Bury and we felt that in recognition of this wanted to award him the highest award Rotary could offer.

"It's not only the passing of a wonderfully warm man, but also a wonderfully public spirited man who devoted his whole life to the people of Bury.

"In a way, it's the end of an era. It was an honour to meet him as you knew you only met someone like this once in a lifetime."

DR Mohammed Salim, Bury Racial Equality Council chairman, said: "It was with deep regret that I and many members of the ethnic community learned about the passing of Mr Davies.

"He was an exceptionally able, helpful and kindly person who helped not only individual members of the community, but also the various ethnic community organisations over many years.

"He set very high standards, both as an individual person and also as a councillor.

"He will be most difficult to replace in terms of the abilities he had and we extend our sincerest sympathies and condolences to his two sons and the rest of his family.

"He was a great man, honest and with integrity."

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