A DEDICATED firefighter who died after a long battle against cancer has been given full ceremonial honours at his funeral.

The coffin of father-of-three Tony Burton was draped in a Union flag and carried on a fire appliance from his Middlesbrough home to Teesside Crematorium yesterday, where scores of family and friends gathered to pay their respects.

After the engine arrived at the crematorium just before 11am, members of Cleveland Fire Brigade, in full ceremonial dress, formed a guard of honour for Mr Burton, who had worked as a firefighter for 29 years.

His colleagues from Coulby Newham's Blue Watch carried his coffin into a packed St Bede's Chapel, accompanied by standard bearers, where the 49-year-old "gentle giant" was remembered and mourned.

Mr Burton, from Marton, Middlesbrough, died after a three-year battle against cancer.

He leaves his wife, Gill, and children, Charlotte, 16, Philippa, 12, and ten-year-old Glen.

Mrs Burton said her husband loved his job and had requested a ceremonial funeral so his children would have something special to remember.

Mrs Burton, also 49, said: "His job was his second family. I suppose that is the way they had to be in order to get through what they had to. Tony wanted something for his children to remember, and he thought this funeral would do that."

But Mrs Burton said his family was always her husband's first love. She said: "He was a devoted family man.

"He has made sure his kids will want for nothing. We were married for almost 23 years and he has left a big hole in mine and our kids' lives.

"He had good humour. He was a shy sort of person, and he wore his heart on his sleeve, but everybody knew exactly where they stood with him. Everybody loved him."

At the service yesterday, eulogies and tributes were paid by Cleveland Fire Brigade, members of his watch, family and friends.

Ian Hayton, the brigade's executive director, said: "I know that Tony was held in high regard by all who worked with him. He will be greatly missed, but will always be remembered with great affection."

The Northern Echo attend the funeral with the permission of Mr Burton's family.