Hundreds turn out for funeral of Royal Marine after Facebook plea

Standard bearers at the funeral of former Royal Marine James McConnell Credit: Ben Mitchell/PA Wire

More than 200 strangers attended the funeral of a former Royal Marine after a vicar put out a plea on Facebook amid fears that he would be buried without mourners.

ITV News reporter Damon Green on the tributes to James McConnell:

James McConnell died last month at the age of 70 and staff at his care home in Southsea, Hampshire, thought they would be the only people at his funeral as he did not have any close family.

The funeral of former Royal Marine James McConnell Credit: Ben Mitchell/PA Wire

But after Reverend Bob Mason posted a message on Facebook and contacted the Royal Marines Association, hundreds of people braved the freezing temperatures to attend the ceremony at Milton Cemetery in Portsmouth.

Hundreds turned out for the funeral of former Royal Marine James McConnell Credit: Ben Mitchell/PA Wire

A small procession through the cemetery was led by Royal British Legion standard bearers followed by a group of flag-bearing motorcycles.

The service concluded with two buglers from the Royal Marines Band Service playing the Last Post.

Danny Marshall, a former Royal Marine, said he attended because the corps was an extended family:

Hundreds turned out for the funeral of former Royal Marine James McConnell Credit: Ben Mitchell/PA Wire

The message posted on Facebook by Mr Mason read:

Mr Mason said he received a "marvellous response from around the country" following the appeal.