FRIENDS and family from Tiverton joined thousands in Exeter last week to bid an emotional farewell to Adam Stansfield.

The streets of the city were lined with people as the funeral for the Exeter City striker was held last Wednesday.

The funeral cortege left from City's St James's Park ground and travelled to the service at Exeter Cathedral, which was relayed to mourners who braved the pouring rain on the Cathedral Green outside.

The 31-year-old, who lived in Tiverton, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in April and died four months later.

The Mayor of Tiverton, Lester Crocker, was among those in the cathedral for the emotional service.

Mr Crocker, who had known Stansfield from the striker's days growing up in the town, said: "There were lots of people from Tiverton at the service and from the clubs he was connected to, Twyford Spartans, Cullompton and Elmore. He was a well-liked person."

He said that despite the wet weather, fans turned out in their droves to provide a fitting tribute.

"To see that many people in one place, at first, it does astound you, but it is not really surprising, because it was no more than he deserved.

"He worked so hard to get into football. He never gave up, even after a leg injury when he played for Yeovil.

"I thought what the manager of Exeter City said in the cathedral, when he described Adam as the 'engine of his team' summed him up, because he was so hard-working."

Away from his working life Adam was a down-to-earth character, Mr Crocker recalled. He said: "I have been up to watch local kids playing football, seeing my grandson and Adam's son playing together, and Adam was there, but not as a professional footballer, just as a father and a coach."

Mr Crocker said there were two moments that proved most poignant for him during the service.

"There was a photograph in the order of service, which shows Adam with a pint of beer in his hand, wearing a suit and tie — it was a fantastic picture. When they asked for a moment to pause for reflection I looked at that photo and had a tear in my eye.

"The other moment was when the coffin was being carried out of the church, and they played the Foo Fighters song My Hero, which really and truly was appropriate, because to a lot of people, he was a hero."

Elmore Football Club secretary Neville Crocker also gave a reading during the service.

The whole Exeter City squad and several staff, including manager Paul Tisdale and director of football Steve Perryman, attended, as did former Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson and some former teammates.

Following a burial service in private in Tiverton, a gathering was held for friends and family at Elmore FC.

● One of the last wishes of Adam Stansfield before he died was that his sister Andrea Hayes married her partner Shaun Parkin, and planning is beginning for their forthcoming nuptials likely to take place next summer.

Shaun proposed marriage at the Grecians' emotionally-charged recent home game against Bristol Rovers. An announcement was made over the public address system at the game where more than 7,000 fans clapped Stanno and decorated stands with banners of tribute.

Andrea, 38, who is a manager of a Tiverton sports shop, and Shaun, 53, who teaches sport at the former East Devon College, first met three years ago.