A LARGER than life member of Largs sporting clubs and theatre scene was laid to rest last week.

Tom Inglis 'lived, laughed and loved' during his almost 90 years, a funeral service was told at Clark Memorial Church in Largs on Friday.

The Rev Mandy Hickman, who revealed that she had been a pupil of The Peggy Inglis School of Dance, recalled the fun-loving nature and witty banter of Tom, who died at Burnlea Home recently after suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

His wife of 64 years, Peggy, had cared for him for many years at their home in Laverock Drive.

Tom was a member of Largs Golf Club and Largs Bowling Club and was made Honorary Member of both Largs Players and the Operatic Society for his sterling service as stage manager of their shows. He also performed in local pantomimes, including as an ugly sister in Cinderella.

Rev David Watson, who also conducted the service, said that long-serving Kirk Elder Tom had a 'real sense of humour'.

On greeting the couple in the back row of Barrfields Theatre, Tom told him he was in the "winching seats."

Rev Watson read Peggy's tribute to her husband.

It told how Tom was born in Alexandra Parade, Dennistoun, Glasgow in July, 1930 when his brother and sister were already teenagers - which saw him always joke that 'he was a mistake'.

The Inglis family had a holiday home in Largs during the 1940s but, in the war years, Tom went to live with family who had a blacksmiths in Nethy Bridge, Strathspey where he helped out in 'the smiddy', did 'tattie howking' (picking potatoes) and berry picking.

At Stow College in Glasgow he studied to be a mechanical engineer and it came in useful during National Service with the RAF, maintaining the engines of Lancaster Bombers in Lincoln.

He began work at Glasgow Royal Infirmary in 1954, starting a career in the health service which took him all over Scotland.

Peggy and Tom married at Townhead Parish Church of Scotland in Glasgow in 1956 and moved to Largs in 1967.

He was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2002 but was only admitted to Burnlea Home at the end of last year.

The service at Clark Memorial Church was followed by a committal at Greenock Crematorium. A collection was taken for Alzheimer Scotland research.