Traffic halted at taxi driver's funeral

Michael Tunley died soon after being admitted to hospital

A convoy of cabbies joined in the funeral of a taxi driver who died after being involved in a collision with a car that was being followed by a police vehicle.

An estimated 40 taxi drivers brought traffic to a standstill in Newport, south Wales, as they followed the funeral cortege of colleague Michael Tunley.

Mr Tunley, 58, of Caroline Street, Newport, died in hospital following the crash in his home town in the early hours of Sunday 8 July.

What was really amazing was...there were representatives of families of Michael Tunley's long-standing customers

Father Neal Murphy

One man has been charged with of causing death by dangerous driving and another is accused of affray in relation to a previous incident in the town centre.

A Police Complaints Authority inquiry has been launched into the incident, which involved Mr Tunley's car, a Volkswagen Golf and a police van.

The procession of taxis joined the cortege at the town's bus station taxi rank and followed it to St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Stow Hill.

Following a Requiem Mass, the cortege made its way to Christchurch Cemetery for the burial, avoiding the road where Mr Tunley died.

Father Neal Murphy, who led the funeral service, said the church was packed with Mr Tunley's family, friends, colleagues and regular customers.

He said: "He was a very much loved man.

"What was really amazing was that as well as family at the service, there were also representatives of families of Michael Tunley's long-standing customers, elderly people who used him regularly."