Skiffle king honoured at funeral

Donegan died while on tour

Friends and musicians have paid their last respects to skiffle legend Lonnie Donegan at his funeral in Peterborough.

The performer, credited with helping transform British popular music in the era before the Beatles, died last week aged 71, half-way through a UK tour.

Singer Joe Brown, one of his close friends and contemporaries, said after the service: "It was a great tribute to a great artist."

Other musicians in the congregation included Chas and Dave, guitarist Albert Lee and jazzman Kenny Ball.

Click here to listen to Lonnie Donegan explain skiffle in 1984

Floral tributes were sent by a host of friends with whom the chart pioneer had performed over the years.

Among the many floral tributes were wreaths from Sir Elton John, Queen's Brian May, Des O'Connor and the Rolling Stones.

Mourners at Peterborough Crematorium sang one of Donegan's songs, Over In The Glory Land, during the service and a jazz band played his coffin in.

Tributes were paid by Brown as well as Donal Gallagher, brother of Rory Gallagher.

Donegan's sons David, 13, and Peter, 19, also spoke about their father.

A native American blessing was read at the end of the service, which was attended by four of the singer's children as well as his wife, Sharon.

A memorial service for the singer is being planned for January, according to Donegan's spokesman, Mike Stevens.

"It will be a much bigger affair, a real who's who," he said.

One of the most successful recording artists of the pre-Beatles era, Donegan had three UK number one hits and numerous top 10 entries in the 1950s and 60s.

His last performance was in Nottingham - the first city he played when he became a star in 1957.