Hundreds of firefighters past and present gathered at the funeral of one of West Yorkshire Fire Service's hidden heroes.

Control room operator Trudy Ramsden was credited with helping to save countless lives during her 28 years with the brigade.

She tragically died only weeks after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.

The 46-year-old was the second-longest serving staff member in the control room at fire service headquarters in Birkenshaw, Bradford, where she worked answering emergency calls and dispatching appliances.

A hydraulic platform fire appliance was used to transport the mother-of-one's coffin to the Parish Church of St Paul in Buttershaw, for her funeral yesterday, which was attended by more than 300 past and present employees of the fire service.

Mrs Ramsden's husband of 25 years, Phil, a firefighter based at Odsal with 27 years of service, led the mourners, along with the couple's son Daniel, 23, who has ambitions to be a firefighter.

Mr Ramsden, of Hudson View, Wyke, where the family had moved only six months ago, said: "I feel like I am waiting for her to wake up.

"She had an aura about her and a passion for her job and even during her illness she was still determined to go back, she was determined to the bitter end and never complained.

"She never lost her sense of humour right up to the last day. She was still joking and saying it was not going to beat her and she would get this thing out of her head."

However, within days of suffering severe headaches, Mrs Ramsden was gravely ill. A biopsy revealed a grade four brain tumour - Glioblastoma - the most aggressive form of brain cancer.

"The doctors did not pull any punches," said Mr Ramsden. "They said radiotherapy was an option but it was not going to cure her, just prolong her life.

"They said she had less than 12 months but I knew she was dying and as it turned out she did not survive a fortnight."

Chris Menaul, the brigade's deputy control manager, led the tributes from her work colleagues.

"She worked in a team of 12 but her loss is felt deeply across all four watches," he said. "She was like the heartbeat of the whole department.

"She had fantastic spirit and her character and sense of humour was legendary. She is irreplaceable as a person."

Mr Menaul said Mrs Ramsden was a true professional, paying attention to detail, always setting her own high standards and possessing a deep-seated desire to protect the public.

"Her standards became the standards for the whole department," he said. "We had a lot of input and training from Trudy.

"This is the legacy she will leave - her standards will carry on."

Mr Menaul told how Mrs Ramsden was commended for a fire service call she took in November 2002.

"She took a call from a family trapped in a blazing flat," he said. "She did her best to help them escape the flat, but they had no means of escape.

"She kept them alive by giving advice until crews arrived and were able to rescue the family.

"There is a family alive today thanks to Trudy.

"And that is just an example of one call in 28 years. There will be a family alive in every town and city across West Yorkshire thanks to the great work she did."

Mr Menaul said even throughout her quick and sudden illness her aim was always to come back and continue doing the job she loved and care for her family.

"Trudy had one son Daniel, she worshipped him as he did her," added Mr Menaul.

"During her illness she called us from hospital and we all visited her there and at home so we could keep her going.

"What was incredible was her spirit and sense of humour - she remained so positive.

"We were with her all the way and it is so hard to believe that she is not here now. It has come as a massive shock.

"But she would not want us to be sad. We are trying to remain positive because that is what she would have wanted - we still have a job to do.

"She will never be forgotten - she is in all our hearts."

Mr Ramsden praised the fire service for the support it had given to the family, whose firefighting connections also include Mrs Ramsden's father, Len Redmond, who is a retired firefighter, as are her uncles Gordon, and the late Geoff, who was an officer.