MORE than 150 people attended the funeral of Fran Jenkin, chairman of Exeter's Refugee Support Group and a founder member of the Devon Equality Council.

Fran, a stalwart supporter of Exeter City and anti-racism campaigner, died aged 67.

St Peter's Chapel at Exeter Crematorium was full to overflowing for the service.

Her friend Richard Billam said: "With few exceptions, everyone there had known Fran personally and counted themselves her friends.

"We came from across the political spectrum — some Conservatives, I'm sure, all strands of the left and Labour movement, including Exeter's MP — all of whom, except for the Tories, would have regarded Fran as a comrade.

"She had friends from all over the world and from every faith, and a fair few were represented," he said.

"We listened to recollections from Louise Goodbody, a fellow-teacher at Exeter College, poet and broadcaster Lawrence Sail, Maggie Walker, a former Access student and now a teacher herself, and Steve Bull, a fan of Exeter City who shared Fran's passion for the club that she helped rescue from oblivion as a member of the Supporters' Trust."

He added: "As the obituary published in the Echo on the day of her funeral described, the range of people she helped, befriended and inspired was awesome.

"Very rarely do you hear so much praise for one person, where no-one thought it was an exaggeratedly rosy picture.

"Fran would have been deeply embarrassed.

"We could only hope she knew how much we felt it to be true about her life; it may help to make up for losing her from ours."