TRIBUTES have been paid to engineer William Garrett who has died 18 months after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

William, 69, known as Billy, was born in Dublin and grew up in Borris-in-Ossory, County Laois, southern Ireland.

His father, also called William, set up Garrett’s Engineering Works in the village, and this was Billy’s playground until at the age of 12 when he went off to Kilkenny College, a Church of Ireland boarding school.

At 18 he undertook his apprenticeship at Hepworth & Grandage in Bradford, and upon completion, trained as an instructor in mechanical engineering and stayed on for 20 years.

Billy and his wife Sally were married in 1970 in Tipperary, and set up home in Bradford. Billy became active in their local church, completed his engineering degree, became a member of the Institution of Mechanical Incorporated Engineers, joined MENSA, the Institute Advanced Motorists, and WACRAL, the body for Christian Radio Amateurs. He set about qualifying as a Lay Reader and was active for 29 years.

After 32 years in Bradford, Billy and Sally, who have three children, Glenn, Lisa and Hazel and four grandchildren, moved to Newton-upon-Rawcliffe and in 2004, frustrated with slow internet, he set up his own experimental outdoor wifi system to their home.

His son Glenn said: "Word spread and gradually the high-speed network grew and rural homes enjoyed internet speeds frequently faster than Pickering.

"As an advocate for affordable community networks, dad bounced his wireless radio signal from property to property, and thus one neighbour was able to help another.

"Clearly the formula was a winner and Beeline Broadband was formed. However, MND forced him to take a back seat in 2015 when I took over."

Glenn said his father had raised the profile of MND, which attacks the nerves, in the brain and spinal cord leading to weakness and wasting, in the community, and at his funeral service on Saturday he was commended in Reverend Ailsa Beech’s tribute celebrating his positive outlook, infectious smile, and impish humour. She also gave thanks for the support given to Billy by the local community, church, and Pickering Rotary Club who kindly donated an electric wheelchair.

"My father lived with the MND Bulbar variation of which the first symptom was his loss of ability to speak," Glenn said.

"Two auctions held in his honour last year raised more than £7,000, which benefited The MND Association and Newton-upon-Rawcliffe’s village hall."

Glenn said more than 200 mourners had attended the funeral service at St John’s Church in Newton-upon-Rawcliffe, including 13 clergy and six lay readers.

"In line with dad’s passion for technology the service was broadcast live via the internet app Periscope on the ‘Beeline Broadband’ account," he said.

Glenn said the family had been touched by hundreds of messages and cards, including a personal letter of condolence from Archbishop Sentamu, who visited Billy during his recent Diocesan Pilgrimage of Prayer, Witness and Blessing and acknowledged his work as a Lay Reader.

"He will be fondly remembered by us all," he said.