More than 400 pay tribute to farmer

Published on 12/10/2012 12:00

MORE than 400 people attended the funeral service of farmer Andrew Riddell, who was found dead after losing a lengthy land battle .

Tributes were paid to a “dedicated father and farmer” at a service in his memory yesterday at a packed church in Gifford, East Lothian.

Father-of-four Riddell, 52, was described as a great family man with many different skills, interests and talents, at the gathering inside the Parish Church in Gifford.

An avid skier and hillwalker, Mr Riddell had been an award-winning student and golf champion.

The farmer also had a love of astronomy, and regularly attended observatory lectures.

The gathering also heard Mr Riddell was an expert in the agricultural science of agronomy.

His friend Keith Maxwell told how “Andrew was incredibly proud and supportive of his children” and he ran the “model East Lothian farm”.