A moving tribute was paid to Eastern Bypass crash victim Howard Hillsdon at his funeral yesterday by a friend who was in the car with him when the accident happened.

Speaking to hundreds of people at St Bartholomew's Church, Yarnton, Daniel Orme, a university friend of Mr Hillsdon, described his friend as a 'people person', loved by all who met him.

The 21-year-old Oxford Brookes University student died on May 28 when a Citroen Xsara crossed the central reservation of the Eastern Bypass and collided with his Honda Civic.

Mr Hillsdon's friends from the village, from Woodstock's Marlborough School and from the university were among about 300 people who squeezed into the small church.

A PA system allowed another 150 people to listen outside.

The hearse carrying Mr Hillsdon's coffin, followed by cars containing members of his family, arrived at the church to the sounds of Robbie Williams's Angels, REM's Everybody Hurts and Bill Withers' Ain't No Sunshine.

P Diddy's Missing You was played as the coffin was carried into the church. The lyric 'Thinking of the day when you went away. What a life to take, what a bond to break, I'll be missing you,' struck a poignant chord with the congregation.

The service was led by the Rev Andrew Parkinson. He told friends and family to continue to let Mr Hillsdon be a part of their lives.

He said: "Continue to celebrate Howard's life today, tomorrow, next week, next year, and year by year."

Mr Hillsdon's mother, Julia, also paid tribute to her son. She said: "He was sensitive and brilliant. He was a hero. He was helpful and polished. Smart. Enterprising. A character. An inspiration. Someone the family are extremely proud of... He was the ideal son."

Mr Orme spoke of Mr Hillsdon's 'infectious and warm personality', adding: "Those who know Howard will understand what I mean when I say he was extremely impatient and this extended to the way he went about friendship.

"He couldn't see the point in wasting time becoming friends with you when he could already get on with the best bit -- being friends with you.

"I had always known of the phrase 'a people person' but I had never truly known anybody who it sat so utterly well with until I met Howard.

"There is no need for me to speak of just how many friends Howard had. The evidence is all around us today."

Mr Orme said that Mr Hillsdon's presence uplifted people. He said: "Some people may call it star quality or the X-factor. What you call it is irrelevant All I know is I will meet very few people, if anyone, who had what Howard had.

"Howard will never be forgotten -- he simply wouldn't allow it."

The hymns Morning Has Broken and All Things Bright and Beautiful were sung during the service and the coffin left the church to the sound of Sinead O'Connor song Nothing Compares 2 U. It was then carried by hearse to a private burial at Wolvercote Cemetery.