HUNDREDS of North-East steelworkers joined family and friends of Geoff Waterfield to pay tribute to the man who led the successful battle to save the region’s steelmaking industry at his funeral yesterday.

Many had to stand outside a packed St Mark’s Church, in Marske, near Redcar, with the service relayed by speakers as tributes were paid to the union boss.

Mr Waterfield, who died last week aged 43, had led the Save Our Steel campaign which , in March, saw Thai firm Sahaviriya Steel Industries (SSI) take over the Teesside Cast Products (TCP) plant in Redcar.

Footage of a 5,000-strong march through Redcar led by Mr Waterfield, the plant’s muti-union chairman, was seen in Thailand by SSI President Win Viriyaprapaikit, who was at yesterday’s service.

Mr Viriyaprapaikit has since said that the passion shown by the workers and their families had spurred him on to strike a deal for TCP, which was mothballed by previous owner Tata Steel, formerly Corus, in February last year.

Others who joined Mr Waterfield’s partner, Sheryl, and 11-year-old son, Wills, at the service included SSI’s UK chief executive Phil Dryden, director of Tata Steel Long Products and the former managing director of TCP Jon Bolton, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council leader George Dunning and the district’s former MP Vera Baird.

Steelmaking is due to resume at the plant on December 8 and Mr Bolton, who built up a close friendship with Mr Waterfield as they battled to save the facility, told the congregation: “It is unbelieveably cruel and unfair. After everything he did, he won’t see for himself the ultimate fulfilment of his achievement – the lighting of the furnace.”

Mr Bolton added: “Over the last few years we dealt with the most challenging issues, but Geoff would always find a way to make us laugh.

“Everything he approached he did so with passion, zeal and commitment because for him it was always about people.

“To me he was a great leader, a role model, an inspiration and most of all a friend.”

Paul Warren and Steve Readman spoke on behalf of the multi-union alliance of Teesside steelworkers, saying: “We were a team with an exceptional captain.”

As well as mourning his death, the service also paid tribute to talented rugby player Mr Waterfield’s passionate nature and the strong relationships he built up with people from all walks of life as he battled to save the plant.

Mr Waterfield’s close friend, Steve Cook, told the gathered steelworkers that with his death they now have a “duty of care” to ensure the blast furnace rises phoenix-like and “becomes a beacon for Teesside”.