The family of a man who helped to establish one of the first mosques in Oldham have paid tribute to him.

Arab Ali, aged 71, was a founding member of the Oldham Mosque and Islamic Centre.

Mr Ali, was flying home from a three-month holiday visiting relatives in Bangladesh.

He died peacefully in his sleep in his seat shortly before the Emirates flight touched down at Manchester Airport at around 7.30am on last Monday.

The funeral at the Oldham Millennuim Centre attracted over 4000 well-wishers from across the country.

His son, Mohammed Ali, 28 said: “He helped establish one of the very first mosques in Oldham. People would come to him with problems and he would help out and mediate.

“He was well respected in his community and was friends with the late Oldham MP Michael Meacher as well as many Oldham councillors. People have been coming to the house for the last couple of days from across the country to pay their respects. He was a chatterbox and was very social.

“He was a bubbly kind of guy and was very loving. He was very charitable and he would often donate money to those in need.”

Speaking of his death he said, “Apparently there was a doctor or some sort of medical person on board. We think that a passenger who was sat near to him realised that something could be wrong and they raised the alarm.

"We think that he might have passed away in his sleep - during a nap. He had a massive heart operation two years ago and we think it could be related to that.”