FUNERAL details have been released for one of York's longest serving councillors.

As The Press reported last week, Brian Watson, died suddenly, aged 86 at York Hospital on Saturday, June 15 after a short illness.

A funeral service to be held on Wednesday, July 3 at 10 am at the parish church of All Saints, Pavement in York city centre.

Brian's family have requested that any donations be made to charities he supported, information of which to be provided at the service. All enquiries are to go through Rowley & Sons Family Funeral Services on (01904) 593096.

His wife, Marcia, confirmed that Brian died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Saturday in hospital having gone in for a minor operation.

When Brian left City of York Council in 2015, he was the city's longest-serving councillor, serving for 36 years, having first been elected in 1979.

Former Guildhall ward councillor, Janet Looker, worked alongside Brian for decades and said: "I was always terribly adventurous and he was always cautious, but I think in some ways we got a great balance. He was an absolutely dedicated local councillor. When he got a cause in his head, he would work forever to get it sorted."

Current Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Margaret Wells, said: “Brian was a good friend to me and was always supportive of my work. We had known each other for about twenty years and having only just  seen him at the annual council meeting a few weeks ago, his death came as a terrible shock to me. As well as politics we shared a love of the York City Knights and we enjoyed the roller coaster of emotions that all sports fans experience.

“I shall miss the humour and passion that he brought to everything he did. My thoughts and love are very much with Marcia and the rest of his family.”