A HORSE-drawn hearse for the funeral of Ray Fletcher wended its way through Pershore on Tuesday - the day that would have been his 70th birthday.

Mr Fletcher, of Cherry Orchard, was a well known character in the town riding his electric scooter accompanied by his black and white collie, Gyp.

Mr Fletcher, who died from a heart attack on April 18, had his leg amputated at the age of 21 following a motor bike accident.

His widow, 64-year-old Pamela, said: "It was amputated on my 16th birthday. We also got married when I was 16 after meeting Ray when I was 13."

Some of the places Mr Fletcher worked for before he retired included the railway station at Defford, Heathlands in Pershore as a care assistant, and as an engineer at Worcester County Enterprises.

Mrs Fletcher, who had been married for 48 years, said: "He was a lovely man, always smiling despite his disability, and suffering with angina. People always said he was a good example to us all."

Mr Fletcher leaves seven children, 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.