Paul O'Grady's neighbours and fans have come out in their droves to line the streets of Aldington, Kent to remember the much-loved TV star.
Paul was aged 67 when he died "unexpectedly and peacefully" last month and is being laid to rest in a funeral at the Kent village, which he adopted as his hometown of more than 20 years.
Although the funeral service itself will be private, Paul's husband Andre Portasio invited locals and fans of Paul to line the streets and say their goodbyes, with people beginning to arrive from 10am ahead of the funeral, which begins at 2pm.
And the locals have flocked to the streets to pay their respects and share what they loved most about Paul – while some fans have also travelled with their dogs, too and pooches from Battersea formed a guard of honour.
The pupils of Adlington Primary School today put a collage together of the dog drawings each had made in homage to the TV star.
The children wanted to do something to remember Paul, who often opened school fetes and made donations to the school, and who many of the pupils knew.
Teacher Mrs Elderton said: "He was very much involved in the local community. All the children liked in as well as Andre.
"All the children at school drew dogs to remind us for Paul and his hard work, dedication and his love of animals. Then they mounted them on love hearts to represent our affection and fond memories"
One of the pupils, nine-year-old Albie Jones said: "I thought he was a very caring person, he cared for dogs, but not just dogs, he cared for all animals and people. We needed to pay our respects and show how much he was loved."
Bill Daynes, 10, added: "He was a great man and had so much to give. He had time for everybody and cared for everyone and everything. I saw him a few times, but I didn't know him personally, but everyone at school was really sad."
Meanwhile Sue Davies, 54, and her daughter Chloe Fields, 34, have come from nearby Maidstone to pay tribute. They arrived two hours before the cortège was due to pass through the village.
Sue said: "We just wanted to come because he was such a lovely man. He was a local and although he was a celebrity he was just like one of us really. He was so down to earth and he spoke to everyone like he was just one of them."
"I just wanted to come and show my respect and appreciation for all the work he's done," added Chloe.
Retired couple Jaqueline and Martin Laurie have come down from Barnet, north London, to pay their respects, bringing food their dogs Millais, a cockerpoo, and spaniel Beau, both aged ten.
Jacqueline says: "We just wanted to say goodbye, bring the dogs and remember Paul O'Grady.
"I remember him mostly from his Lily Savage days. He was a great man and a great ambassador for many causes, and not just dogs, also LBTGQ, AIDS, Save The Children.
"And obviously the program with the dogs was just a delight, it was nice to watch something, but has a happy ending. He was just an all around kind person who used his celebrity status to promote these courses in a big way, he dedicated so much of his life to them.
"That's got to be admired, and I think we should all try to be more like Paul."
A bake sale was being organised outside the Walnut Tree pub with proceeds going to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, with which he worked closely throughout his life.
Aldington Women’s Institute (WI) chairwoman Ginny Taylor, who organised the sale, told the PA news agency: "We wanted to honour Paul because he was very much part of our village. He was lovely, an absolutely lovely man.
"I was always very engaged. He must have got fed up to his back teeth with everyone but he was always good. It is a real shock just even talking about it."
