MOURNERS packed a memorial service to a pioneering Kidderminster Scout leader who died after falling ill with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).

Stuart Hanslow, 53, a father of three and Scout Troop Leader at 8th Kidderminster St John’s Scout Group (KD8), died on January 28 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

There was a private, family-only, service at Stourbridge Crematorium last Friday, followed by a memorial service at St Mary’s Church, Kidderminster.

Scouts and Guides attended the memorial in parade uniform to pay their respects and songs at the service included a special Scouting version of This Little Light of Mine.

There were tributes from two of Mr Hanslow’s friends and from Kelvin Morris, KD8 Group Scout Leader.

Dave Denton, the district commissioner for Kidderminster Scouts, also led a special Scout Salute to Mr Hanslow in which all Scouts and Guides attending, past and present, participated.

Barbara Hanslow, Mr Hanslow’s mother, said her son was “special” and that it had been comforting to see how much he had meant to the community.

The service was led by Canon Owain Bell, who said that the fact they had run out of orders of service was, “in itself, a marvellous tribute to Stuart”.

He praised Mr Hanslow’s “tremendous contribution” to Scouting locally and internationally and added that to hundreds of Scouts Mr Hanslow would “always be the man in the green fleece”.

Mr Denton said: “It was a fitting tribute to a dedicated, well-respected and well-liked Scout leader.

“It was good to see to so many young people at the service and that is a reflection on Stuart and the impact he had.”

Immediately after the memorial service there was a wake at KD8 Scout Hut in Habberley Playing Fields, Kidderminster.

Donations in Mr Hanslow’s memory went to CJD Support Network and Rhydd Covert Scout Campsite.