RESIDENTS in Purton have paid tribute to a vicar who served their village for two decades.

Canon Roy Blake, 79, died after a long battle against stomach cancer.

He also worked overseas in strife-torn Uganda to help Bishop Yokana Musaka rebuild his diocese, torn apart by the regime of Idi Amin.

Godfrey Fowler, chairman of Purton Parish Council and churchwarden said: "He was a well-travelled man, he led quite a few trips to the Holy Land, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon.

"He had a huge passion for all those places and it was a great joy for me to join him on several of those trips. He also cooked a very good curry.

"He was well loved in the village, and will be missed."

Roger Lawrence, another member of the church said: "When he first arrived, he had to take the place of the previous vicar, who served here for 47 years.

He was loved by everybody and did a fantastic job in the village, even raising thousands of pounds for the church.

"When it began to fall into disrepair he raised thousands for its restoration to preserve it for future generations."

Despite having retired in 1993, Mr Blake was determined to continue his service to the village and become the chaplain of the Purton branch of the Salvation Army and gave his last service in Purton at the village's war memorial in November.

Within weeks his health deteriorated and he was taken to the Cottage Hospital in Malmesbury. His wife Peta was at his side when he died. The Rev Sidney Hinkes of the Malmesbury Archdeaconry said: "Roy Blake was a priest with a warm pastoral heart. He would not allow anything to come between him and his people.

"For him, his people meant not only those who came to church but everyone who lived in the parish."

Mr Blake, who died on Saturday, was originally from London and the second of four children.

At 17 he joined the Army as a volunteer and trained as a radio operator and served in Palestine from 1945 to 1947.

After being de-mobbed he married his first wife Miriam and was ordained at Bristol Cathedral.

He later served in the St Paul's area of Bristol, helping to set up the St Paul's festival a small version of the Notting Hill carnival before moving to Purton in 1974 and marrying second wife, Peta.

During the winter of 1980-1981 they spent time working in Uganda, from where he would keep in touch through the Evening Advertiser.

In one report he described the situation as a 'culture shock' saying: "Rebels will come into a village and fire at a convoy.

"Then the army will come back, accuse the people of harbouring the rebels and drive them out."

In his farewell sermon to Purton he said: "I know very well that faith involves hearts and guts as well as head and that we are constantly confronted with mysteries."

Anthony Osborne