HUNDREDS of friends and family members gathered today to lay to rest “larger than life" character and popular pub landlord, Mick Daniels.

The 69-year-old, of Covingham, died peacefully at home on July 15 after a short battle with cancer.

Mourners congregated at St Andrew’s Church in Mick’s native Wanborough to bid farewell to the former landlord of 21 years at the Plough Inn, Badbury.

It was standing-room only at the service as pallbearers entered to Until It’s Time For You To Go by Mick’s favourite artist Elvis Presley.

Mick’s eldest granddaughter Sophie thanked him for making her what she is today and said his memory will live on in his family.

“Granddad, you are an amazing man,” she said.

“In life you never had a dull moment. I will never forget my time with you. You have influenced me more than I ever realised.

“You have been such an inspiration to me, you mean the world to me.

“My precious granddad, until we meet again, you will live on in our hearts forever.”

Tributes were then paid by Mick’s beloved daughters Lisa and Emma who praised their father for his humour and devotion shown to them as they were growing up.

Lisa said she returned to the Plough, a scene of many happy memories for the family, to write her tribute.

“The Plough reminds me of good old boys in the good old days,” she said.

“I remember when dad took me out for my first driving lessons, and was I baffled when he decided to sit in the back with a newspaper, until he told me it was because the impact was less. He always made me laugh.”

Lisa ended with a poignant farewell to her father who felt he had lived life to the full.

“I remember us sitting in the garden listening to the Walker Brothers' No Regrets, you said you had no regrets, you said 'I’ve done everything I wanted to and achieved everything I could wish for' and you did.

“Goodbye daddy doo.”

Mick, a former footballer for the Wanborough Rockets, was known in the community for his time spent behind the bar at Gorse Hill’s The Carpenters Arms and a 21-year-stint at the Plough in Badbury alongside wife of 45 years, Sue.

As landlord of the two pubs, the father-of-two loved a pint, brightly-coloured shirts and dancing on the bar to Elvis Presley.

A period of quiet reflection – where the congregation was invited to recall their own precious memories of the community stalwart - preceded one of Mick’s favourite songs, The Tremeloes Even The Bad Times are Good.

Closing the tributes Mick’s old friend Alan Smith kept the congregation entertained as he recalled anecdotes of his long-time friendship with Mick.

He said: “Mick’s favourite song was Tigerfeet by Mudd, he’d put on fluffy tiger feet with claws, dance around and always hold the microphone upside down, it was hilarious. That was his gift, he could always make people laugh.”

After the couple left the pub trade in 2000, Mick kept himself busy with a variety of jobs including work in a warehouse and a stewarding role at his beloved Swindon Town Football Club, The devoted grandfather continued to be surrounded by girls in later life with the birth of his four granddaughters Evie, Olivia, Sophie and Louise.

Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit In The Sky, ended the service with family members queuing to say a fond farewell to the community stalwart.

Family and friends then gathered in the Legends Lounge at the County Ground to raise a toast to Mick.