200 attend funeral of soldier who had no family

More than two hundred people attended the funeral of a Stockton soldier who died alone in hospital.

Thomas Cox, who was 90, had no traceable family and faced a lonely send off. However the mother of another Stockton soldier who died while serving his country issued a call to the people of Teesside to 'give him the send off he deserves'.

Barbara Woods' son Charlie, Warrant Officer Class 2 with 23 Pioneer Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, died in a blast from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Afghanistan in 2010. Mr Cox also served in the Pioneers.

Both civilians and members of the armed forces were among the mourners who wished to pay their respects to Mr Cox.