A pastor from Bradford has died of skin cancer at the age of 34.

Scott Ashington, of Wilsden, was married with daughters aged three and three months.

He spent a number of years as an assistant pastor working under Peter Neal at Kipping Congregational Church in Thornton.

Mr Ashington died at his parents' home, near York, on Saturday.

The Reverend Alan Evans, of Holme United Reformed Church, Holme Wood, said Mr Ashington's family - including parents Jill and Roy, wife Liza, to whom he had been married for ten years, and children Lily, three, and three-month-old Ruby - had taken the news with "great fortitude", but were devastated by their loss.

Mr Evans paid tribute to the "larger than life character", who was a close friend of his own twin sons Oliver and Warren.

"He was such an outgoing character. He was larger than life and was always full of fun," he said.

"Whatever people were like, whether they were rich or poor, whatever the person's status was in life, Scott always had the ability to get alongside them."

Mr Ashington, pictured with daughter Lily, lived in Wilsden with his wife and children. He was brought up in Thornton, where he later worked at Kipping church, preaching, conducting pastoral visits and meetings.

Educated at Rhodesway School in Allerton, Mr Ashington initially sought a career in interior design which he studied at Middlesbrough College, but he left the course half-way through when he became a Christian.

"He felt he wanted to spend his life more fully for God," said Mr Evans, who will conduct Thursday's funeral service at Saltaire United Reformed Church.

Instead of mournful music, Mr Ashington's friends will play gentle guitar music because his family wanted the occasion to be a celebration of his life.

"He was the kind of man who would have wanted it to be happy rather than sad because he's going to the place he's preached about," said Mr Evans.

"When he became ill there was a limit to what he could do, but he was always positive. He looked forward to being healed, but he also knew if anything happened his place in Heaven was secure because he believed in Jesus."

Mr Ashington's funeral service will take place in Saltaire at 10.45am tomorrow followed by cremation at noon at Nab Wood Crematorium.