Tom Carr, the man who led the campaign against the Albion's plans to build a stadium at Falmer, has died aged 73.

Football-loving Mr Carr, who played local soccer until the age of 50, and was once a youth team player for Bury, always insisted his objection to a stadium in the village where he lived, was not because he was anti-football.

His strong beliefs and passionate argument drew tributes from those campaigning equally strongly in favour of Falmer.

Villagers were shocked at the parish councillor's sudden death from an aneurysm on May 16.

He had been playing golf two days previously at Seaford Head, where he was a member, and had been walking on the South Downs the day before Last week's parish council meeting was cancelled as a mark of respect.

The village church, St Laurence, is expected to be packed for his funeral tomorrow at 11am.

Donations will be made to the Rockinghorse Appeal in aid of the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children.

Tom Carr was educated in Salford, Manchester, and was evacuated to Ireland during the Second World War.

He trained as an electrical engineer and worked for ICI before moving to Sussex when he got a job with Hove-based Intech.

He bought his home in South Street, Falmer, 22 years ago and became the village's main voice against Albion's proposed 22,000-seat stadium It got him elected to the parish council and he became chairman of its stadium committee, speaking out against the plans at the Falmer Inquiry in Hove.

Albion supporter Paul Samrah, chairman of the Falmer for All campaign, was saddened by the news.

He said: "Tom Carr was respected by all who met him. He was a sincere man, who was passionate in his beliefs and conducted himself in a thoroughly professional manner at all times.

"I particularly remember his smart dress and his northern brogue. Tom represented Falmer with distinction and pride.

"I never heard him complain about the thousands of hours he sacrificed to present the case against the proposed stadium.

"Whatever the final outcome of the inquiry, at times like this it puts things into perspective."

Mr Samrah has written to the parish council on behalf of the Falmer For All campaign, expressing the group's sorrow at Mr Carr's death.

Parish councillor John Burt said the letter would be appreciated by villagers.

Mr Burt said: "You form a family when you meet on such a regular basis so losing Tom is like losing a member of your family.

"He was a private man but fighting the stadium brought him to the fore and we realised what a grand fellow he was.

"He was a keen environmentalist and wanted the things he enjoyed preserved for future generations."

Mr Carr leaves a widow, Sylvia, and two sons, Thomas and David.