Mayor of Worcester Jo Hodges said: “He was such a fighting symbol as we all fight this vile plague and the news is just so sad.

“I’m really pleased he was knighted by the Queen before he died and you could tell from television reports just how proud his family were by his side.

“My thoughts go out to his family at this difficult time.”

A member of parliament has also paid tribute.

Worcester MP Robin Walker said: “His death is such sad news.

“He was an inspiration to many, keeping many people’s spirits and hopes up and raising money and awareness for the great work the NHS is doing in the Covid-19 fight.

“His death is tragic and so is every Covid-19 death.”

A charity which supports members and veterans of the armed forces also paid tribute.

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said: “Everyone at the Royal British Legion is incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Captain Sir Tom Moore.

“He epitomised the indomitable spirit of our wartime generation and was a true inspiration to millions of people worldwide as we lived through some of the most challenging of times, bringing the nation together in celebration of his fundraising efforts.

“Sir Tom will be remembered as a shining beacon of hope in what was a difficult year for all.

“His achievements during his military service in the Second World War and his more recent accomplishments, raising millions for the NHS and establishing the Captain Tom Foundation, means that his legacy will live on and help many generations to come.

“He was passionate about the work of the RBL and we are incredibly grateful that, through the support of the Captain Tom Moore Foundation, we can continue helping members of the armed forces community in his name long into the future.

“He will remain a symbol of positivity and hope and will be missed by many people across the world to whom he has come to mean so much."

The charity fundraiser was taken to Bedford Hospital on Sunday after being treated for pneumonia for some time and testing positive for coronavirus last week.

In a statement, his daughters Hannah and Lucy said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore.

“We are so grateful that we were with him during the last hours of his life; Hannah, Benjie and Georgia by his bedside and Lucy on FaceTime. We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother. We shared laughter and tears together.

“The last year of our father’s life was nothing short of remarkable. He was rejuvenated and experienced things he’d only ever dreamed of.”

Sir Tom’s fundraising efforts raised more than £32 million for the NHS, walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday during the first national lockdown in April.

The veteran set out to raise £1,000 from his charity challenge but his efforts struck a chord with the nation, and praise and donations flooded in.

He raised a total of £32.7 million, with donations from 1.5 million supporters, before his fundraising page was closed at midnight following his 100th birthday on April 30.

He started his challenge a little over three weeks earlier, and encouraged people to continue to donate to NHS Charities Together.

In acknowledgement of his efforts, he was knighted by the Queen during a unique open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle in summer 2020.

Sir Tom rounded off 2020 with a trip to Barbados with his family.