Mourners pay tribute to 'magnificent' Robin Gibb

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets of Thame, in Oxfordshire today as the funeral procession of Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb made its way from his home to his funeral in St Mary's Church.

The horse drawn carriage displaying his coffin was followed by his two Irish Wolfhounds, Ollie and Missy, and a Scottish Piper led the walking mourners of friends and family.

It had been Robin's wish to "say a final goodbye to fans and his home town of Thame" according to his family. Guests including Sir Tim Rice, DJ Mike Read and Uri Geller, followed the cortege on foot from the gatehouse of his estate.

Robin's sons RJ and Spencer, together with Stevie Gibb, son of Barry Gibb, acted as pallbearers.

Mourners wept as the coffin entered the church to the sound of the Bee Gees' hit How Deep Is Your Love. Close relatives, including Robin's widow, Dwina, and his mother followed behind. One woman was so overcome with grief she had to be physically supported as she walked to her seat.

During the service Dwina read a poem called My Songbird Has Flown, which included the words:

The poem was followed by a recording of Don't Cry Alone, one of Robin's last compositions from his Titanic Requiem, which premiered just weeks before he died.

Gibb's elderly mother Barbara left the church just before her last remaining son Barry gave a moving eulogy paying tribute to Robin and his other dead brothers.

Barry's voice broke as he told the congregation: