Boris Johnson, who stepped down as MP for Henley yesterday to concentrate on his new job as Mayor of London, will be sadly missed, said those he represented.

People across the constituency last night paid tribute to his work for schools, businesses and other campaigns in south Oxfordshire.

And most found his capacity for major gaffes amusing rather than cringe-making.

The floppy-haired old Etonian, affectionately known as the Clown Prince of Parliament, never failed to bounce back - no matter what he had done.

In spite of his occasionally high-profile gaffes, he always managed to emerge smelling of roses and with the full support of his constituency colleagues.

His most famous was the insult to Liverpool in an unsigned article in the magazine The Spectator, which he edited at the time.

The 2004 article said the city was hooked on grief and over-reacted to the beheading of Liverpudlian Ken Bigley in Iraq.

Although he had not written the article, he went to Liverpool on the orders of the then Tory leader Michael Howard to apologise for the piece.

In November 2004, Mr Johnson, 43, a father-of-four, was sacked as a shadow frontbench spokesman after allegations of an extra-marital affair emerged.

He described Papua New Guinea as a cannibal country - and admitted he smoked cannabis and took cocaine while at Oxford University.

But it was his constant stream of inanities as chairman of Have I Got News For You, the BBC television news quiz, that earned him a soft spot in the hearts of millions.

He was even awarded the Foot In Mouth Award from the Plain English Group after he said: "I could not fail to disagree with you less".

But while just about everyone seemed to find his off-message quotes amusing, one of his constituents did not find them funny.

Ken Hall, chairman of Berinsfield Parish Council, said: "I know I am going against the trend of worshipping Boris, but I had no time for him.

"He was all talk and no action.

"And he was a clown.

"No matter what they said in public, I am sure he was a real embarrassment to the Conservative Party.

"I am not sorry to see him go - I'm just sorry for London."

But others praised the man.

Thame Mayor Don Butler said: "I thought he was a great guy.

"He always came to whatever you asked him to, stayed, chatted and was a real delight.

"He will be a big loss."

Ann Greenwood, head of Tetsworth Primary School, said: "We were always very grateful for the help and encouragement he gave the children when he presented our eco-awards.

"The children treated him like an overgrown teddy bear and he loved it."

District council leader Ann Ducker praised the way he communicated with youngsters.

She said: "He was a great ambassador for how MPs work and was a great force for good here and in politics generally."

The Conservative Party will today move a writ prompting a by-election in Henley, to be held on Thursday, June 26.

The candidates contesting the seat are: Chris Adams (UK Independence Party), John Howell (Conservative), Stephen Kearney (Liberal Democrat), Richard McKenzie (Labour), and Mark Stevenson (Green).