MOURNERS gathered at a York church today to pay their last respects to award-winning journalist and distinguished amateur theatrical personality John Potts.

Family and friends were joined by people from the newspaper industry as well as those from the city's theatre scene for the funeral at St Clement's Church, Scarcroft Road, York.

Mr Potts was president of the York Light Opera Society when he died. His theatrical colleagues today praised his commitment to the society. York Theatre Royal remembered him as an ex-chairman.

He was also remembered as a first-rate journalist who wrote an award-winning weekly column for the Evening Press. He was described as being "extremely proud of his Northern roots".

Tributes to his skill as a journalist and his hard work for amateur theatre in York have poured into the Evening Press office this week where Mr Potts worked for 37 years.

Mr Potts, 73, died only hours after attending a pantomime performance at the Theatre Royal last week.

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