A PACKED church paid tribute at the funeral of a brass band leader and prominent member of the Evesham community, who died suddenly at home.

Roger Spragg, aged 71, was the president of Avonbank Brass Band, Evesham.

He suffered heart failure in the town's Evesham Close, four days after Christmas.

The grandfather-of-two was a well-known figure in the town where he was born and bred.

As a young man he played in the Avonbank brass band and with his friend Clive Allen founded the Wychavon Festival of Brass in 1990.

Mr Allen, who attended the funeral this week at Evesham Methodist Church said: "It was a tribute to Roger that the church was packed.

"I will remember him as a person you couldn't say no to.

"He had that wonderful happy knack of getting things done for his community."

Mr Spragg was a former Evesham town councillor and chairman of the Vale of Evesham Tourist Association.

Over the past 25 years hehad suffered a number of heart attacks.

Life-saving operations in London in 1989 prompted him to start the Evesham and District Heart Support Group, which has now an active membership of more than 70 people.

Mr Spragg leaves his wife Pam, to whome he had been married for nearly 50 years, as well as his daughter and son-in-law Karen and Martyn Smith and two teenage grandchildren Damian and Darren.