HUNDREDS of mourners have today paid their respects to a popular taxi driver killed in an horrific crash.

More than 500 people attended the funeral of Mirza Malick, 64, at the Madni Jamia Masjid mosque, off Killinghall Road in Bradford.

Mr Malick died at the scene of a crash on Shipley Airedale Road on Saturday when his Proton taxi was involved in a collision with a BMW and a Range Rover.

His passenger, Paul Hayward, 55, also died at the scene.

Mourners paid tribute to father-of-three Mr Malick who they described as a hard working family man and a popular taxi driver.

Abdul Ghafoor, a cousin, said: "He was such a nice, gentle guy who never hurt anybody. He was a workaholic."

Colleague Jabbar Fazil, who worked alongside Mr Malick at Manningham Taxis, said customers had been ringing the firm to express their condolences.

"Everyone is ringing up, they can't believe it, they are really shocked."

Mr Fazil said his colleague was very popular and "enjoyed having a laugh with his customers."

Friend Zia Ahmed, a former colleague at AA Cars in Shipley, brought flowers to yesterday's service.

He said: "He was a nice, helpful man who was always laughing. When I heard he had passed away I was totally shocked. I will miss him."

Councillor Mohammed Shafiq, of Bradford Moor, said: "Mr Malick lived just a few streets away and I was talking to him just a few weeks ago. My condolences and prayers go to him and his family. He has lost his life in tragic circumstances. The entire community has been in a state of shock over his death. This is a huge loss for his family. He was well respected in the local area and I knew him personally for over 15 years."

The coffin arrived at the mosque in a funeral car containing several floral tributes, one spelling out 'DAD'.

After the service, there was a burial service at Scholemoor Cemetery, Bradford.

Earlier, inquests were opened in Bradford into the men's deaths on Saturday morning just before 11.

Coroner Oliver Longstaff heard how the mini cab was involved in rapid successive collisions with two other vehicles.

The drivers of those cars were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and have been bailed while police investigations continue.

The bodies of Mr Malick, of Thornbury Avenue, and Mr Haywood, a former antiques restorer, who was living at Oak Lodge Residential Home in Manningham were released by the coroner.

Crash investigators with West Yorkshire Police are appealing for information about the movements of two cars involved in the crash.

They are a white Range Rover (registration X111 SYY) and a grey BMW (YD65 WMG).

Mr Malick's family have backed the police appeal for witnesses to come forward.