MOURNERS packed into St James’ Church to bid a final farewell to Spring Hill councillor and Labour stalwart Pam Barton on Thursday.

Tributes were paid inside the church by her colleague and friend Cllr Clare Cleary, a poem was read by Luke Reilly, and MP Graham Jones spoke about his great friendship with Cllr Barton and her late husband Richard.

Cllr Barton, a mother-of-two who lived in Ormerod Street, Accrington, died following a battle against cancer on Tuesday, May 5.

Friends, family and colleagues all attended the funeral service to ‘celebrate her life’, a spokesman for Hyndburn’s Labour group said.

Tributes had poured in for the former mayor and councillor of 17 years.

Cllr Munsif Dad said: “She was a very, very good councillor and a very close friend.

“She was also an excellent ambassador for the community .”