HE touched the lives of thousands during a decade as a popular councillor and colourful spell as the mayor of Southampton.

But the grieving family and colleagues of Dorian “Dodge” Attwood have been banned from paying their respects at his funeral amid a rift between his former wives.

His second wife is refusing to allow even his 100-year-old father to attend the secret service after she fell out with his first wife, once her best friend, following an affair.

Tributes from across the political divided have flooded in for Mr Attwood, who has died aged 63. He was a Shirley councillor for ten years until 2000 and mayor between 1996 and 1997 as well as a leading union figure in the city.

His daughter by his first wife, Louise, 35, who lives in Wiltshire, said her father had said he wanted everyone present at his funeral but had not recorded his wishes.

“All his colleagues on the council want to pay their respects but nobody can. It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “She decided to shut us out.”

She said her family wanted to remain dignified and led tributes to her father as “a mighty man who is our hero and many people’s inspiration and a very humorous man to boot”.

Daily Echo: Click below to see a video of today's headlines in sixty seconds

Second wife Tina Fellbrich, of Nutbeem Road, Eastleigh, who described her husband as “the most special man you would ever want to meet”, said the funeral would be held in private and was keeping the details secret as she claimed relations with his family had turned “nasty”. The couple had been together for 12 years.

Former Coxford councillor and Labour colleague Sue Fletcher, who described Mr Attwood as a “down-to-earth man of the people” said: “I’m sure many people would like to pay their respects to him. I think it’s very sad. I for one would hope there could be some sort of memorial for him.”

A Southampton Labour party insider added: “Whatever has happened, people like to say their goodbyes. When we’re denied that it does leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Some people are very bitter about it.”

Former council colleague and trade unionist Alan Lloyd praised Mr Attwood as the first Labour councillor to win the Shirley seat in decades.

“He was a real genuine working class guy totally committed to the people he was representing whether as a trade unionist or as a Labour councillor.”

Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead added: “Dodge Attwood put his own stamp on his council service in Southampton. He was a very approachable councillor and carried that style through his time as the city’s major. He is going to be greatly missed by all who remember his many kindnesses.”

Current mayor of Southampton, Labour councillor Carol Cunio, said: “Dorian Attwood has made significant impact on residents’ lives, both as a sheriff and as a councillor serving the city for ten years. ”

Born in Thornhill, Mr Attwood attended Merryoak Boys School, and at 15 went to sea, firstly on oil tankers then the QE2 and Oriana. He married his first wife Frances in 1972 and they had two children Wayne Dorian, now 37, and Louise Frances.

In the ’70s he joined the Southampton Corporation Buses, later CityBus, where he was a shop steward and branch secretary for the T&GW Union.

Mr Attwood, who retired from the council in 2000, died at Southampton General Hospital after losing a battle against cancer. He leaves three grandchildren: Joshua, 14, Jasmine, 10, and Wesley, eight.