A foot-stomping jazz band led family mourners and close friends to Graham Lenihan's last resting place yesterday, Tuesday.

The funeral of the parish councillor at St Luke's Church, Goostrey, was a celebration of a life lived in quick-witted humour, a love of dancing and song and simply being among family and friends.

Mr Lenihan, 73, died in hospital in Macclesfield after a short illness. And the church was filled to overflowing for a service that reflected

his life in traditional song, hymns and modern pop.

It began with the nostalgic crooning of Danny Boy, slipped into the hymn Lord of the Dance and echoed to the verses of the Thank You for Being my Friend and the carol Silent Night before Silk Street Jazz joined the Vicar, the Rev Heather Buckley, and his family in procession to the country graveyard.

Mr Lenihan was born in Manchester and went to school in Wythenshawe where he met his wife, Diane, before moving to Goostrey from in 1986 and immediately felt at home in the village, and found a second home in the Crown Inn.

He was a prominent member of Goostrey Gooseberry Society for some 25 years, as well as a local councillor and a member of Goostrey Parish Archive.

His son Damian and daughter Sara, together with his grandchildren, spoke of their devastation and sadness at the family's sudden loss.

But there was much laughter as well as tears as they recalled a 'super dad and grandpop' whose world had been 'one roller coaster' and as a salesman in his working life could sell 'ice to the Eskimos'.

"He always wanted to be the centre of attention," the family said. "Life was never boring in the Lenihan household."