A "SELFLESS" volunteer who fought for residents' rights on a golfing estate has been remembered by his best friend.

Ron Wyatt, 87, died following a short illness at the end of March and his best friend Clair Waterbury has paid tribute to an "exceptional man" following his funeral on Monday last week.

Mr Wyatt was instrumental in fighting the rights of residents on the Wentworth Estate, being chairman of the Wentworth Estate Roads Committee and establishing the rights of the committee to own and maintain the roads.

His actions gave residents a say in the development of their estate, and in 2000, after years of supporting residents, he moved to Virginia Beeches in Callow Hill, Virginia Water, where he served as chairman and treasurer of the residents' association.

Mr Waterbury, 96, came across Mr Wyatt around 25 years ago at Sunningdale Bridge Club and the pair instantly struck up a friendship.

Mr Waterbury said: "There are many people that you meet in life and some are invested in helping and doing things for others.

"Ron was one of those rare individuals that would do the little things. He always picked me up to take me to bridge and he once drove more than 200 miles in Spain to help our friend who had broken down.

"He was the best example of altruism I have ever seen. He never gave one thought to himself and nothing would be too much trouble."

Mr Waterbury settled in England after arriving from California during the Second World War to serve as an American volunteer, and has lived in the Virginia Water area for more than 60 years.

He praised his best friend, who worked as a banker for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation for many years in several countries in the Far East.

Last Christmas Mr Waterbury wanted to thank Mr Wyatt for all he had done for him, by getting him a Ford Mondeo car he had wanted for many years, which he was able to drive for a few months before he died.

Mr Waterbury said: "I thought what on earth can someone do for this individual who was so selfless?

"He had a car that was becoming a bit of an antique and he kept saying that he had an eye on a Ford Mondeo and that when the prices dropped he would take a look at one.

"So I thought I would go to the car dealer and pick out a car. I bought it and gave it to him for a Christmas present.

"I gave him the key and gave him the car that he had always wanted and it gave him months of pleasure. But it gave me more pleasure than he would ever understand.

"It was some way of showing how at least one person appreciated what he had always done for other people. He didn't want to accept it but I made him.

"He had it for three or four months and he loved it. He drove it all over the place."

Mr Wyatt is survived by his two children, Dawn and Peter, and four grandchildren.