Hundreds of people have lined the streets to pay their respects to Sir David Amess following his funeral in Southend.
Following the service, pall bearers carried Sir David’s coffin to a horse-drawn hearse for a procession around Southend.
Hundreds of people gathered outside Southend’s Civic Centre to pay their respects as the hearse, led by four black horses, paused in front of it.
Uniformed police officers bowed their heads as the hearse arrived, with members of the public breaking into applause.
Sir David’s coffin, draped in a union flag, was brought to the St Mary’s churchyard entrance in a hearse driven at walking pace.
Read more >> Live: Sir David Amess's funeral finishes and procession begins
Pall bearers from Southend Fire Service carried the coffin the short distance to the church as they were saluted by members of 3rd Chalkwell Sea Scouts.
Members of the public who lined the streets outside the church broke into spontaneous applause as the pall bearers made their way along the churchyard path.
Mark Francois praised Sir David Amess’ service to his constituents during his eulogy at a funeral service in Southend for the Conservative MP.
The Rayleigh and Wickford MP told mourners at St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell: “Our electors employ us to represent them in a contract renewable every few years.
Read more >> 'Let some good come from this tragedy': Statement to public from Sir David Amess's family
“We work for them and not the other way around, and no-one was ever more conscious of that than David Amess.
“Whatever one thinks of members of Parliament, and opinions do vary, in my experience MPs of all parties do genuinely try and help other people.
“However, collectively in recent years we have perhaps not always helped ourselves, and I humbly suggest today that we need to learn from that.
“But, boy, did David Amess honour the contract with his employers – and in his own inimitable style.”
He continued by sharing humorous anecdotes about Sir David Amess’ life during his eulogy.
The Tory MP continued: “He was the original Essex cheeky chappy.
“In short, David Amess had more front than Brighton.
“He was deeply honoured to be knighted by Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor. As he told the Echo newspaper: ‘I never dreamt that one day a boy from Forest Gate would be made a knight by a Queen in a castle’.
“He subsequently celebrated by hiring a lightweight suit of armour and turning up to the mayor of Southend’s annual reception on a horse.
“When he was asked what he thought he was doing, he simply replied: ‘I’m a knight’.”
During his tribute to Sir David Amess, Mr Francois said the killed politician had “won in the end” after his campaign for Southend to be made a city found posthumous success.
Mr Francois told mourners at St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell: “He put Basildon firmly on the map and he worked tirelessly for Southend.
“In the end, I think his constituents loved him for it.
“Just look at the turnout here today in this beautiful house of God, which, before long, will form part of the city of Southend – forever.
“So, he won in the end. Some would say, including me, that David was a bit of a legend really.”
The former minister also recalled how Sir David had helped break the world record for the most centenarians at one lunch during an event in Southend, recorded an album with Bananarama and had a boiled sweet blessed by the Pope.
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