Inspiratonal WWII veteran and NHS fundraiser Captain Tom Moore laid to rest at private family funeral

The service – which took place at 12noon today at Bedford Crematorium – could only be attended by eight of Captain Tom’s closest family members due to Covid restrictions.

It did feature a flypast by a C-47 Dakota from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, however, as well as music by Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Dame Vera Lynn and Frank Sinatra.

Earlier, Captains Tom’s coffin was brought into the chapel by members of the Yorkshire Regiment, draped in a union flag, while a firing party of 14 men fired off three rounds each.

Hannah Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira, Captain Tom’s two daughters, paid tribute to their father before one of his grandsons performed a reading.

The service was brought to a close when a single bugler played the Last Post.

Elsewhere, in Keighley, where Sir Tom was born and grew up, the town’s mayor Peter Corkindale was joined by one of West Yorkshire’s Deputy Lord Lieutenants, David Pearson, to lay a wreath in his memory.

In Bradford, 100 bells were rung from the city’s cathedral and others across the country at 12pm, while the bells of the clock tower played You’ll Never Walk Alone, which Sir Tom covered with singer Michael Ball to achieve a number one hit.

And in the Derbyshire town of Staveley, a wreath was laid on behalf of the community by chair of Staveley Town Council, Councillor Donald Parsons, and town clerk Mark Evans.

Earlier in the day, Sir Tom's official Twitter page asked people to enjoy a cup of tea and slice of Victoria sponge cake to celebrate his life.

It said: "'Someone will have to make extra cake and sandwiches, and it won't be me'.

"Today we celebrate the life of our hero. We will be following Captain Tom's wishes by enjoying a cup of tea and a slice of Victoria sponge cake. Please join us as we raise a cup to him."

Captain Tom’s family have said his ashes will be interred in the Moore family plot in Yorkshire whenever Covid restrictions permit.

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