THE vicar of St Stephen's, in Lindley, has died after a long battle with a brain tumour.

The Rev Gary Mann, 41, died on New Year's Day and leaves wife Andrea, 41, and three children Nathan, 16, Matthew, 14, and Belinda, 12.

Today his wife spoke of her utter despair at losing her husband but also the whole family's pride in all the good he achieved.

Mrs Mann, who met her husband when they were both just 11, said she will remember him as a fun loving man who would do anything for anybody.

"He had a brilliant sense of humour and always made people feel totally at ease," she said.

"At every church we have been at the congregation has grown and it is all because of Gary. People really related to him in so many ways.

"He will be remembered with a smile by everyone who knew him."

Mr Mann was diagnosed with a brain tumour in September 2000.

He had brain surgery and then intense radiotherapy and battled back to conduct Easter services in 2001.

Because of where the tumour was it could not be fully removed but it was treated and kept at bay until October 2003 when he collapsed again.

On Good Friday last year scans showed a recurrence of the tumour.

Mr Mann's mother Val and father Roy said even though they knew their son was dying nothing could have prepared them for losing him.

"We will miss him so much. He was the perfect son," said Mrs Mann.

He took over as the vicar at St Stephen's in 1998 after spending five years at St John's, in Clifton, near Brighouse.

He left Highlands Grammar School, in Illingworth, Halifax, to go into banking, working for Nat West.

But soon he left to study at Lincoln Theological College and then gained a degree at Nottingham University. He was ordained deacon in 1990 in Wakefield.

"There is nothing but good you can say about Gary. He was a loving father, a great friend and a wonderful husband," said his wife.

"His children were the apple of his eye. He was so proud of their achievements.

"And he was a fighter, a real inspiration."

Mr Mann's funeral takes place at Halifax Parish Church, on January 12 at 11am.