Hundreds of mourners turned out for the funeral of a popular man who died while walking in the hills he loved.
Friends filled Macclesfield Crematorium on Thursday to say farewell to David Pointon, 53, whose unexpected death in the Derbyshire hills shocked family and friends.
The Macclesfield Town season ticket holder was walking with two friends on Thursday, April 22, when he started to complain of chest pains.
Within minutes David, of Highfield Road, died of a heart attack while friends scrambled to save him.
Glen Hunter, 51, had been pals with David for more than 40 years and was by his side during the final minutes.
"It’s been a traumatic time, he was my best mate really," said father-of-two Glen, from Broken Cross.
"There were three of us who had gone out walking as we quite often did, and Dave just complained he had a bit of heartburn.
"He said he’ll have to sit down, and then he just fell with his face hitting the floor."
Glen ran to get a mobile phone signal, and help from the air ambulance was scrambled, but it was too late.
He added: "He didn’t have any family, but you wouldn’t have known that being at his funeral.
"People couldn’t even get into the crematorium – he was that popular.
"We’ve been friends since we were about 11. We went to Macc Town games together, walking all over the country and we both loved our music, especially Motown and Northern Soul.
"He just lived life to the full."
David, who worked at Slater Harrison in Bollington for 32 years, was not married and did not have any children.
