More than 280 gathered at Kettlewell Village Hall on Saturday for the funeral of 55-year-old Russ White, described by family and friends as an exceptional man with a wonderful sense of humour.

Russ, a roadmarker for the past 20 years, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Bradford just before Christmas.

He lived in Kettlewell with his wife, Nicky, and three-year-old son Jake. They bought their house in 2002, but initially spent just weekends there before moving in full-time earlier this year.

“Russ threw himself into everything and everyone’s lives with such an exuberant lust for life that every single memory is a happy one,” said Nicky in a tribute read at the funeral. “We were only together for 13 years and he made them the happiest of my life.”

A motorbike enthusiast, he met Nicky during a camping trip to Grassington and it was love at first sight. They married in 2003 at Castle Bolton.

They spent numerous weekends renovating their Kettlewell home and built up a large circle of friends and his loss has been severely felt by the whole community, Close friend Dan Ambler said: “I didn’t know him long enough and feel robbed. As friends go he was outstanding, my wife loved him, my children adored his company and I just feel lost, “I am, and always will be, very honoured to have known him and to have called him my friend.”

Born in Queensbury, Russ had two children, Joe, 32, and Jasmine, 34, from his first marriage and was grandfather to Bryony, Abigail, Teegan, Phoebe, Archie, Freddie and Amelia, with another grand-daughter due in March.

Following the funeral, he was laid to rest in the cemetery at St Mary’s Church.