THE Prime Minister has paid tribute to a West Oxfordshire landlord.

David Cameron recalled the “many happy memories” he had of Mike Willis, former landlord of his local pub, The Tite Inn, in Chadlington.

Mr Willis, 67, died in Katharine House hospice, in Adderbury, after battling prostate cancer for three years.

Witney MP Mr Cameron, whose constituency house is in Dean, said: “I have many happy memories of Mike at The Tite Inn.

“I was a very keen participant in Mike’s charity bike rides.

“They were always great fun and his hard work must have raised so much for Oxfordshire charities.

“I always enjoyed Mike’s lively company and wonderful sense of humour. He will be sadly missed by so many.”

Before turning his hand to pulling pints, Mr Willis worked as an estate agent and spent time managing a rock band.

He ran The Tite Inn with wife Sue, a former Bunny Girl, for 21 years.

They brought up daughters Genevieve and Nicola in the pub.

Friend Brian Payne said: “Mike was an unconventional landlord. With Sue in the kitchen, supervising a steady flow of food to hungry customers, Mike ran the small bar with panache.

“He was a passionate supporter of small breweries, and took a pride in the quality of beer that he served.”

Famously direct in his comments, he once banned a visiting tourist from Yorkshire from the pub for complaining that the real ale didn’t have a sufficiently frothy head.

Mr Willis organised many fundraising events including a Christmas pantomime, which was always held in the spring, raising thousands of pounds for local good causes.

He died on Tuesday, July 27, and his funeral was held on August 5, at St Nicolas Church.