HUNDREDS of people turned out to pay farewell to popular Trowbridge councillor Jeff Osborn at his funeral yesterday.

Mr Osborn’s service at Wesley Road Methodist Church saw nearly 250 people attend including family, friends and colleagues of the much-loved Trowbridge town and Wiltshire Councillor.

He died at the Royal United Hospital in Bath on April 1.

The Royal Engineers gave Mr Osborn a guard of honour after he joined the Merchant Navy at 15 and after four years at sea he enlisted in the Army, serving in places including Germany, Cyprus and Aden.

He also spent time in Hereford attached to the SAS.

Mr Osborn’s wife Helen, who he married in 1967, was unable to attend the service as she is recovering from a heart operation in the RUH.

The couple have two daughters together, Rachel and Charlotte.

Charlotte read out Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’ and said it encompassed her father’s continuous strive to achieve his goals as well as helping others achieve theirs.

Revd Simon Edwards, who led the service, also read out a reading from Matthew 25:31-46 and later said: “What we know of Jeff is that he valued people and that was the way his life was led.”

The congregation also sang hymns including The Navy Hymn, When I Needed A Neighbour and To Be A Pilgrim.

Mr Osborn’s son-in-law Matthew also read a piece on behalf of the whole family which drew many smiles from well-wishers to the church who were able to reminisce about his unique character.

“It was at a library in Hereford that Jeff met the love of his life Helen in a library. He went in looking for a book to read that would require him to speak to her.

“Over the following years, many books past throughout his hands and Jeff read the vast majority of them. There was rarely a time when he hadn't read a book and he just loved to read.

“Jeff was one of those people who encouraged his children to recognise and develop their abilities and that was something he did himself. If he recognised a need, he would seek to fulfil it.

“In recent months, Jeff was terribly saddened by his failure to save the Hopper and he knew its importance to people.”

Among other tributes was former MP for Chippenham, Duncan Hames who had a read at the service. He said: “Like many of you, I have fond memories of Jeff. They say all politics is local and Jeff knew local politics.

“He never lost the knack of making sure local tax payers had their voice heard in the chamber.

“Jeff would always be on your side of an issue and he was a powerful voice in an argument and in our time together, he was at the heart of decision making.”

The 73-year-old started his political career in the 1980s as a Labour candidate running in the 1983 Somerton & Frome election. Following that defeat, he became a Liberal Democrat and eventually declared himself an Independent.

He had been a Trowbridge town councillor and West Wiltshire district councillor since 1996, and a Wiltshire county councillor since 2001.

Since then has led campaigns to save Trowbridge hospital, youth clubs and schools, and was a chairman of the hospital's League of Friends.

His most recent battle was to try to save the RUH Hopper bus used my many west Wiltshire residents including Mr Osborn.

Before his career in politics, Mr Osborn moved to Trowbridge in 1974 where he became a sociology teacher at Trowbridge Technical College, now part of Wiltshire College, and worked there for 24 years.

A private burial was held at Trowbridge Cemetery following the service.