Thousands of Brits including the prime minister, gathered in the streets of Bury and Middleton to mourn the death of former solder Lee Rigby, who was killed in Woolwich, Southeast London in May.
Lee Rigby was beheaded by accused murderers Michael Adebolajo from Romford, East London, and Michael Adebowale, from Greenwich, Southeast London.
Rigby's family and friends attended his service at Bury Parish Church in Greater Manchester, the BBC reported. In a eulogy released to the press, Lt. Col Jim Taylor said that Lee was "a true regimental character."
Following the service, Lee's remains were escorted to a burial plot at Middleton Cemetary. The hearse carrying Lee's body snaked down boulevards flooded with supporters who stood by, watching the fallen man arrive at his final resting place.
Lee was survived by his wife Rebecca and his toddler-age son, both of whom were greeted by huge applause at the funeral grounds. The young boy wore a shirt reading, "My Daddy My Hero."
Lt. Col. Jim Taylor of the Second Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers spoke during the service, calling Lee a "fantastic soldier," with "real charisma."
"To be with Lee was to be where it was most fun-the center of good times and much mischief," he said. "People fell quickly under his spell. Whether it was in work or off duty, at a ceremonial engagement or on operations, Lee just knew how to lighten the mood. He could brighten a room within moments and, by all accounts, clear a dance floor in seconds if a Whitney Houston track was playing."
He also described Lee Rigby as having a "natural swagger and the confidence of someone truly comfortable in their own skin."
"He was always happy," he stated. "His smile was infections, as was his enthusiasm for soldiering and his passion for life."
