Dozens of ex-comrades, family and friends paid their respects to former paratrooper Percy Fielding whose funeral took place yesterday.

Percy, who died last week aged 88 after a short illness, was taken to the service at St Aidan's Church in Hartlepool in a 1937 Rolls Royce hearse.

The vintage vehicle was used during former Prime Minister Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965.

Passers-by stopped to watch as the cortege made its way to the church on Oxford Street.

Floral tributes spelling Para adorned the hearse and the coffin was draped in a union flag bearing Percy's war medals. The former elite soldier was highly decorated for his heroics during some of the war's biggest battles across Europe and North Africa including Dunkirk and the battle for Arnhem Bridge, in Holland.

Scores of ex-paratroopers wearing their distinctive red caps attended the moving service and formed a guard of honour.

They were greeted by Percy's tearful family including his children Muriel Laking, Joy Lamplough, Jacqueline Brown, and son Rob.

Proud Percy, who lived in the Grange Road area of town, was a member of forces organisations including an ex-paratrooper association, Dunkirk Veterans and Royal British Legion.

He educated young people about the reality of war by visiting town schools and also sold poppies.

The last event Percy supported was the launch of Radio Hartlepool when he cut the ribbon last October.

Hartlepool poppy appeal organiser Ian Cameron also attended the funeral and Radio Hartlepool controller Jason Anderson read a touching eulogy.