Tributes paid to Rob Burrow at event in Leeds commemorating his life

• Video report by Arif Ahmed

Attendees at a civic event commemorating the life of former rugby league player Rob Burrow have given him an impromptu standing ovation in tribute to him.

The invitation-only event was held at Leeds Civic Hall on Friday morning, featuring speeches and videos paying tribute to the former Leeds Rhinos player, who died on 2 June aged 41 following a four-and-a-half year battle with motor neurone disease (MND).

Among the 180 guests at the event were members of Burrow's family, including wife Lindsey and his parents Geoff and Irene Burrow.

"It's been a really tough few weeks, but I've taken lots of comfort from the tributes and the messages that we've had, and the outpouring of love and support, and I think that just shows what a special person Rob was," said Lindsey.

"I wish he was here today to see that love and support for him, but I know he'll be looking down and be immensely proud.

"To us he was just Rob the family man, and he was so down to earth, he never had an ego, he never liked the limelight. I think he would have been really touched [by the support]."

"We've been proud since he was born, and it just continues to amaze us how everybody supported him," said Geoff.

"We just hope that other people with MND that didn't have [Rob's platform] get the support that he's got, because that's what it was all about for Rob - for other people."

Burrow's mother, Irene, added: "Hopefully we get a cure for this awful, awful disease. What we've gone through in this last five years, there'll be people today receiving that bad news.

"If we can find a cure, that'll be absolutely amazing, and that's what it's all about.

"He's left a big hole in our lives and we'll be forever proud. There won't be a day goes by that we don't think about him."

Speakers at the event included Burrow's former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Jamie Jones-Buchanan, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who is the president of the Rugby Football League.

The commemoration finished with an impromptu standing ovation for Burrow and his achievements.

"He used to break my heart!" said Sir Lindsay. "Warrington [Wolves] would be doing well, and Rob Burrow would just change the match instantly.

"He was a giant. When they said he was too small for rugby league, didn't he prove everybody wrong. He's the royalty of rugby league."

Sir Lindsay also praised the effect of Burrow's fundraising and efforts to raise awareness of MND.

"People talk about MND now - research is going in in a way that it never would have before.

"He was a true warrior, and a warrior in illness as well. He was inspirational to everybody else."

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