The community of Attleborough has paid its final respects to the town's first mayor and a tireless supporter of its causes.
A guard of honour made up of fellow firefighters surrounded Sidney Wilson during his funeral at St Mary's Church yesterday morning.
Mr Wilson, who died aged 91 on September 22, is well-known in the town, having been involved with dozens of community groups including St John's Ambulance, Attleborough Players, the Town Twinning Group and Gaymers Bowls Club.
The grandfather-of-five also served as a retained firefighter for 28 years.
Born in Gressenhall, Mr Wilson spent his childhood travelling around Norfolk with his cowman and farmer father, attending 13 schools over the years before joining the Home Guard based at Raveningham Hall.
It was during a night out at The Three Tuns pub in Haddiscoe that Rita Wigby, a barmaid from Attleborough, caught his eye.
Romance blossomed, and two years later the pair parried at Haddiscoe Church.
It was soon after that Mr Wilson's second love, for Attleborough, also developed. The newlyweds moved into a property on Exchange Street, where his first daughter Cherrylyn was born, before moving to Estcourt Road, where his other daughters Joanna and Sara were born.
In 1955 Mr Wilson, who worked as a carpenter and builder, joined Attleborough retained fire service and was promoted to leading fireman in 1968 and sub-officer in 1970.
But his contributions to the town stretched far beyond his work as a firefighter - Mr Wilson, who has six great-grandchildren, played for Attleborough Town Football Club, helped build the bus shelter on Queen's Square, the library and the extension to the police station and, in 1980, joined the town council.
Eight years later he made history as the first elected mayor of Attleborough.
His daughter Sara Wilson described him as a 'very calm man who didn't have a bad word to say about anybody'.
'He was a caring man and just liked helping people,' she said. 'Everybody in the town knew him and liked him and the kind words we've had are a fitting tribute to our dad. We are very proud of him.'
During yesterday's service, the town flag draped Mr Wilson's coffin, while the flag outside Town Hall was flown at half-mast.
Would you like to pay tribute to Mr Wilson? Email lauren.cope@archant.co.uk
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