Funeral of NI Michelin star chef

Hundreds paid their respects to the well-known chef

Hundreds of people have attended the funeral of Northern Ireland celebrity chef Robbie Millar.

Mr Millar, 38, who owned the Michelin star Shanks Restaurant near Bangor, died after his car crashed in the Craigantlet Hills in County Down.

His car left the Ballysallagh Road at about 0250 BST on Saturday. No other vehicle was involved.

The Holywood man's funeral took place at Ballycarry Presbyterian Church in County Antrim. He had three children.

The service was conducted by the local minister, Reverend Gabrielle Farquhar, and a tribute was given by a friend of the family, Sir Donnell Deeny.

Rev Farquhar said it was a tragedy that such a young and gifted life had been lost.

"He always had time for people and he never made a difference between who you were or what spectrum of society you came from.

"That's such a good quality to have," she said.

The minister said Mr Millar was known far and wide not just for his quality as a chef but for the type of person that he was.

He was buried at Ballycarry New Cemetery beside his brother who died 23 years ago.

Mr Millar and his wife Shirley opened Shanks Restaurant in 1994.

The restaurant is located at Blackwood golf club on the Clandeboye Estate.

In the early 1990s, Mr Millar returned to Belfast to work for Paul Rankin at his new restaurant.

The police have appealed for information about the accident.