HUNDREDS of people turned out for the funeral of a Melksham farmer whose coffin was taken to the church by tractor.

So many wanted to pay tribute to Charlie Humphries, who died at the age of 61 on October 3, that St George's Church in Semington was packed on Friday afternoon and over half the congregation had to stand outside.

From the age of 19 Mr Humphries lived in Holbrook Vale, and a tractor driven by his son Lester took the coffin from his home as far as Semington Bridge, with close family walking alongside, from where it was carried to the church.

When the procession arrived in Semington many people lined the streets outside the Somerset Arms pub and the church.

Mr Humphries' daughter, Maria Reeves said: "It was a real tribute to dad and the amount of people that turned up to pay tribute to him showed how well-loved he was. After the funeral we went to the village hall where there were a lot of people I had not seen for years, who all said how much they thought of him."

Donations in Mr Humphries' memory will be used to buy a bench in the centre of Semington and one in the churchyard.