CLERGYMEN and residents left reeling by the sudden death of the well-loved Dean of Ripon, poured into Ripon Cathedral today (Friday, May 31) .

The Very Rev Keith Jukes, 59, died just days after being diagnosed with a cancerous growth in his stomach, on Tuesday, May 21.

The death was greeted with shock across North Yorkshire and beyond.

But this afternoon bishops, business-owners, family, friends and local residents filled the magnificent Ripon Cathedral to pay their respects at his funeral.

There was only standing room in the cathedral, where author Lewis Carroll’s father had once been canon, as people sat anywhere they could amongst the ancient stonework.

Many people had come with small, palm-sized stones to add to a cairn built inside the cathedral, which stood testament to the dean.

It will remain there until June 30, the anniversary of his ordination, when those being ordained will remove a stone and keep it, symbolic of continuing his ministry.

The Very Rev Jukes’ wife, the Reverend Susanne Jukes, met with the congregation before the service.

The couple had met in 1973, whilst studying theology at Leeds University, and went on to have two children, Laura and Matthew.

The Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Right Rev John Packer, led the service, along with the Bishop of Knaresborough, the Right Reverend James Bell.

Many of the senior clergy had known the dean and at times their voices were heavy with emotion.

But the atmosphere inside the packed, sunlight cathedral was uplifting and people afterwards spoke of how positive the service had been.

As people filed out of the cathedral to the sound of Bach’s Toccata in Fugue still reverberating around the vast space, many people remembered how he had played a part in everyday life in the town.

Every year he would be seen taking part in Ripon’s Shrove Tuesday pancake race, cassock flowing and pan in hand.

Speaking after the ceremony, Ripon MP Julian Smith said the Rev Keith Jukes played a really important role in the community, adding: “It’s a great loss to the county. He was a great leader.”

Head of Welcome to Yorkshire, Gary Verity, also paid tribute to a “great man in every sense of the word”.

Speaking after the ceremony, Canon Paul Green said he had been overwhelmed by tributes which poured in. He said the funeral had been a celebration of his life.

“He touched all over lives very powerfully,” he said.

“ We had to be able to celebrate that. His legacy will go on there’s a wonderful foundation he made and he will always be remembered. He was the most fantastic dean. We just loved him.”