Hundreds of fans lined the streets for a procession ahead of the funeral of The Wanted star Tom Parker.
The pop singer's widow, Kelsey, whom he married in 2018, led a cortege featuring three black horses through Petts Wood in south-east London on Wednesday morning. Flowers spelling out the word "Daddy" adorned the side of the carriage while a flowered sign that spelt the word "Tom" in red roses was attached to the front.
Tom died last month at the age of 33, surrounded by his family and bandmates, 17 months after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Family and close friends of the star gathered in The Sovereign Of The Seas pub opposite the funeral parlour before the procession began.
READ MORE: The Wanted Tom Parker's 'heroic' final performance in Liverpool weeks before death
Outside St Francis of Assisi church, flowers spelt out the words "Glad You Came", the title of The Wanted' s 2011 hit that went to number one in multiple countries. Tom disclosed in October 2020 he had been diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma and had begun radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Kevin George and Susan Potter, from Orpington, whose eldest son Daniel died from an astrocytoma Grade 3 brain tumour at the age of 22 in 2018, were among those waiting outside the church.
Asked whether Parker's campaigning for brain tumour research in his final months had affected her, Ms Potter, who was carrying a framed picture of her son, said: "Of course it did, especially the BBC One interview that they did and the way he dealt with it. It was exactly how my son dealt with it - exactly.
"In fact, at his funeral, we played Bon Jovi, It's My Life, because that kind of (message) - it's my life, I am going to live it now, I am going to live it today."
Mr George said: "It's good. It is raising the profile as well. He has raised a lot of money for research, which is what it needs. A lot of other cancers have almost been eradicated. They need to have more research into brain tumours."
Champagne Supernova by Oasis played as the coffin of Tom Parker was carried into St Francis of Assisi church in Petts Wood for the funeral service. Liam Payne from One Direction was given a round of applause from fans outside the church who were awaiting the service to be live-streamed on three large screens.
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