TRIBUTES have poured in for the man known as Bury metro council's first Freeman, the former "Father of the Council", or to his many friends, simply just Dai.

They fondly remember the contribution that David Davies, who died this week aged 91, made to the life of the town.

Mr Davies represented residents as a Labour councillor for 40 years, and his combination of age and experience was unmatched in Britain. Those four decades of public service culminated in his being awarded the Freedom of the Borough earlier this year, the first man to receive the honour since 1974.

But Mr Davies, who had been unwell for some time, died peacefully on Monday in a Chadderton nursing home.

As a mark of respect, council bosses have lowered the flags at Bury Town Hall.

Mr Davies's political career began in 1957 when he was elected in Unsworth and served for 12 years, before losing and then making a comeback in 1970 as a Redvales councillor, winning every election since. He was twice Mayor: of the old county borough in 1972-73, and again of the metropolitan borough in 1979-80.

But Mr Davies's contribution extended much further than politics. He was equally well-known for his work with local charities and community groups, especially at Blackford Bridge URC where he was a lay preacher and elder for 50 years and he also edited the church magazine.

His involvement in other groups ranged from Racial Equality Council to the Arts and Crafts Centre, numerous charities including the Hard of Hearing Club, and he was also president of the ATC's Bury Squadron. He was also awarded the British Empire Medal in 1992 for his work to secure pensions for war widows and their relatives.

Mr Davies stood down from the council at the start of this year, and was presented with the Freeman honour in February following a lengthy campaign by his supporters to recognise his contribution to the town.

He received the award exactly 100 years since its inception locally, joining the likes of Mr James Kenyon, the 17th Earl of Derby, and Aldermen William Kemp Heaton and Fred Spencer.

David was honoured again just two weeks later. Bury Rotary Club presented him with a Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest award that the Rotary International movement can bestow. He was only the third non-Rotarian to given the honour by the Bury club.

But he was unwell following a bad fall, and spent most of last year in Walshaw Hall residential home. He moved to Chadderton Total Care nursing home last month to be nearer his son Kingsley.

Mr Davies was born in 1908 and lived in Llangynog in North Wales, leaving home at 17 for Manchester to work for a food wholesaler.

He married Emma by the time the Second World War broke out, during which he served with the Royal Tank Regiment in occupied Europe.

His wife passed away on New Year's Eve 1988: there is a bench in her memory in the Garden of Remembrance at Bury Parish Church.

He leaves four sisters, two sons, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The funeral is on Tuesday at Bury Parish Church starting at 1.30pm. It will be jointly conducted by the Rector of Bury, the Rev John Findon, and the Rev Ruth Wollaston, minister of Blackford Bridge URC. A private cremation at Rochdale follows.

David Davies when he recieved his scroll and commemorative casket on the day he was made a Freeman earlier this year.

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