Hundreds of mourners packed Otley Parish Church to bid farewell to tragic student James Raw, who was killed in a bus crash just weeks into his university career.

Colleagues from the teenager's Venture Scout unit, some in tears, and uniformed Scouting officials formed a guard of honour as his coffin was taken into the church, followed by parents Janet, 46, and Alan, 48, and seven-year-old brother Stuart.

During a moving service - held in the church where James was christened, and attended by more than 200 people, including a coach-load of students - Otley Parish Venture Scouts unit leader Mick Gledhill paid tribute to the 18-year-old, of Burley Road, Menston.

Mr Gledhill said: "James was just a perfect lad who joined the Scouts as a Beaver when he was six and enjoyed trying everything Scouting had to offer.

"He was still with us when he died and would have completed his Queen's Scout Award, the highest a Scout can get, later this year.'' Because the unit had four boys called James, to avoid confusion he had been known as 'Billy Raw'. Mr Gledhill added: "It was something to do with his horse-riding.

"He was always there and always looking to help. At home he was kind and caring and his love for his brother was second to none.''

James, a former pupil of Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley, died earlier this month when the bus in which he was travelling back to Lancaster University after a night out in Morecambe was in collision with a lorry. Mrs Raw said she was deeply touched that so many people had wanted to attend the funeral.

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