SIX hundred people packed York Minster’s Quire for a funeral and thanksgiving service for the life of Jordan Waugh, the skier who died trying to save a friend in the Alps.

They were told that the 23-year-old York man’s "last act on this earth was one of pure love...a Christ-like act".

The Reverend Matt Woodcock said the words from John’s Gospel, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends," had been a "precious gift" to Jordan’s family. “Seeing his friend in trouble, Jordan’s first thought was to try to help him,” he said.

Jordan fell to his death on February 24 in the ski resort of Alpe d’Huez when he lost control on a patch of ice as he tried to ski to the aid of the friend who had fallen but been saved by a tree.

The Rev Woodcock, who conducted the service with the Reverend Canon Michael Smith and the Reverend Catriona Cumming, said Jordan had been a "very special" young man.

“What comes across so clearly and consistently from the conversations I’ve had with his closest family and from reading the many hundreds of tributes, is just how naturally selfless, compassionate and kind Jordan was,” he said.

Jordan’s sister Kennedy said it was an "honour and privilege" for her to pay tribute to him, saying she didn’t need to tell anyone in the Minister why he was "one of the most amazing people you could have met".

She said: “You could have met Jordan for 30 seconds and known that this was somebody special. In his short 23 years, he had touched many people, not in brief, but in life changing ways...

“Going forward, each one of us has a decision to make. We can have Jordan’s death make us more cynical, hopeless, and fearful, and our lives will become dark.

“The other choice is to make Jordan’s life inspire us to be more compassionate, hilarious, non-judgmental and loving.

“If we do that, then Jordan’s life will ultimately be a triumph that remains with us all our lives.”

Family friend Ange Golligher said she had had the pleasure and honour of knowing Jordan for most of his life.

“I think the number of people here today is testimony to how loved Jordan was and how many people’s lives he touched in his short but amazing life,” she said.

“Jordan’s love of life, determination and willingness to succeed is an inspiration to us all. My promise to Jord is that I will try to live each day in his honour and try to be the best person that I can be.”

Air Cadets leader Steve McManus said he still remembered Jordan first walking into the Cadets at 13 - "probably one of the most eager kids I’ve ever met, he just wanted to learn everything and be friends with anyone".

He said that once Jordan got a foothold in the Cadets, his confidence sky rocketed, and he "always had to do everything, and do it better than everyone else".

He added: “Through it all I think most of us will remember him for being one of the kindest blokes in York, a gentlemen that his family could be so proud of, and a human that I am so honoured to say was my friend.”

*The service was followed by a private ceremony for immediate family at York Crematorium and then a wake for family members and friends at Kennedy’s Bar & Restaurant in Little Stonegate, owned by Jordan’s mother Karen, which was closed to the public for the day.