Funeral held for tug boat skipper

Mr Humphreys was the last crew member recovered from the Clyde

Mourners gathered in Inverclyde for the funeral of a tug boat skipper who died when his vessel capsized on the River Clyde.

Stephen Humphreys, 33, from Greenock, was one of three men who died when the Flying Phantom sank on 19 December. A fourth crew member was rescued.

Mr Humphreys leaves behind his wife Helen, a baby daughter Nina and two stepsons, Calum and Scott.

About 400 people attended the funeral, at Finnart St Paul's Church, Greenock.

Mr Humphreys was the last of the crew members recovered from the Clyde.

Anchor wreath

His coffin was piped into the church followed by two standard bearers from the Merchant Navy.

During the service, Rev David Mill said Mr Humphreys love of boats dated back to his childhood and that, on leaving school, he joined the small ships training group, going on to work for organisations including Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries and the MOD.

Several hundred people attended the funeral service

He repeated the words of Mr Humphreys' mother Margaret, who described the 33-year-old as "the son that any parent would have been proud to have".

The maritime feel to the service was carried forward until the final hymn, Will Your Anchor Hold.

Outside the church door, a wreath in the shape of an anchor was propped against the wall.

Engineer Robert Cameron, 65, from Houston, Renfrewshire, and Eric Blackley, 57, from Gourock, Inverclyde, also died after the tug sank while towing a cargo vessel to Glasgow.

A fourth man, Brian Aitchison, 37, from Coldingham, was rescued from the water.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun an inquiry into the accident.