A FARMER had his coffin pulled by tractor and trailer as part of an 'unusual' but beautiful funeral procession his family say he would have loved.
Albert Gibbons was laid to rest during a service at Worcester Crematorium on Thursday followed by a wake at The Bull in Fernhill Heath, near Worcester.
The 83-year-old farmer, who started work at the age of 14, died on February 26 at his home in Lower Town in Claines, near Worcester, after a short illness.
Between 60 and 80 people attended the service including many farmers.
The Massey Ferguson tractor served him all his working life and was bought in 1968, the year his youngest daughter, Helen Gibbons, was born.
"We decided it was appropriate and fitting for him. It's very unusual and he would have loved it. He would have laughed," said daughter Jackie Evans.
A man named Ed, the son of Nigel for whom Mr Gibbons worked, drove the tractor which pulled the trailer bearing the coffin decorated with flowers and a floral tribute.
Mrs Evans said: "He could do anything he put his mind to and if he didn't know how to do something he found out."
This could include building a house extension or a barn and he worked long hours but his family was the most important thing to him.
Mrs Evans said: "He was definitely a family man who loved the children."
The service was organised by Lee Russell Independent Funeral Directors with the artificial grass for the coffin donated by Quickgrass.
Mr Gibbons had six children, 14 grandchildren and 'numerous great grandchildren' and is survived by his wife Audrey to whom he was married for 45 years.
After he retired he turned his hand to gardening and to helping other farmers and was known to his family as 'Grandad Farm' - a name given to him by his grandchildren.
Mr Gibbons worked at Tapenhall Farm in Claines and completed a mixture of different types of farming work from bringing in the harvest to milking cows, also working in Hanbury and Smite.
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