Many of the 450 people in Lichfield Cathedral for the funeral of Bryan Hutchings, the managing director of stone and conservation specialists WBM Restoration, were architects and artisans he had worked with in 30 years in the industry because he had made friends with so many of them.

One of those who became his friend was George Frost, the archdeacon at the cathedral at that time. He spoke at the funeral of Bryan\'s strength and selfless nature.

He recalled how Bryan had won a bravery award for saving two children who were drowning in a river, diving in without a thought for his own safety and keeping them alive with the kiss of life, which he had learned as a trained first aider. On another occasion while on holiday he saved a child from choking, again using his first aid training.

George Frost described Bryan as "Quite a man. Short in height, tall in stature".

Bryan, still in his 40s when he died, had trained as a mason with Lichfield company Linford-Bridgeman, starting his apprenticeship in 1973 and branching out on his own in 1985 as Lichfield Masonry. In 1994 he joined forces with WBM, a timber frame restoration company. When the director of WBM left, Bryan continued to run WBM Restoration as a masonry and restoration company.

His contracts had included several projects on the cathedral where his funeral was held.

Indeed, from his earliest days with Linford-Bridgeman he had worked on the cathedral and had more recently renovated the stonework on the north wall - work which the architect had praised, saying: "Bryan set an exemplary standard."

Shortly before he died Bryan came to look at a new, elevating floor laid at the cathedral by his company, although that project was overseen by his brother, Andrew, who worked with him in WBM Restoration and was running the company during Bryan\'s illness.

Andrew now heads the company that these days employs 25 people.

Outside of work Bryan was an enthusiastic sportsman running many marathons and half marathons. Just a week before he was diagnosed with cancer he had run the London Marathon in less than four hours. He was a strong swimmer and a regular at the gym. He loved motor sports and had taken up jetskiing in recent years. Even after his illness was diagnosed and he had to slow down he took up golf - and was characteristically good at it.

He did a lot for charity and was a Freeman of Lichfield as part of the Worshipful Company of Smiths.

He leaves a widow, Sue, and teenage daughters Claire and Kate.