TRIBUTES have been paid to David "Piggy" Thomson, who died earlier this month, aged 57, after a long battle with cancer.

The respected businessman, rally driver and former pig farmer - where the nickname came from - was remembered by more than 400 family friends and colleagues at his funeral service, held at St Mary's Priory Church, Old Malton, last Thursday.

David was well known in the York area for his pig farm at Earswick - at its peak the largest of its kind in Yorkshire.

Married to Barbara, 62, the couple spent more than 35 happy years together at Fosslands Farm.

He was also a talented rally driver, winning three British titles in the 1970s and 1980s. He will be best remembered for his performances in his Porsche, and last competed competitively in the RAC Rally in 1995, aged 50.

David was also proud father to professional racing driver James, 28, who last year won the British Touring Car Championship, and is this year competing in the British Rally Championship.

When James's career began to take off in the mid-1990s David realised a long-held ambition by moving from farming into engineering, as well as property development, building more than 100 homes in the village.

His engineering firm, Foss-Tech, began life in one of his former pig barns and grew to a 22-man workforce. The firm designed and built the Honda and Audi touring cars, which James raced in Britain and Germany, and is now a successful firm producing precision parts for the racing car and aviation industries.

David was also a prominent member of the National Farmers' Union, a keen country sportsman, and a big supporter of the Malton and Norton Rugby club, often enjoying tours abroad with the team.

Friends have described him as a "unique man, with so much drive and determination, he could achieve whatever he set out to".

After the funeral, David's friends did their best to carry out David's wish of a 24-hour wake, celebrating his life in style at the Malton and Norton Rugby Club before heading off to some of his favourite pubs, finally ending the night at 4am.

Updated: 09:50 Thursday, February 27, 2003