A CHARITY volunteer has been given the dignified final farewell his friends aimed for when they launched a fundraising campaign to pay for his funeral.

The close-knit community of Spennymoor, in County Durham, wanted to give popular resident Jeffrey Buston a decent send off following his sudden death from cancer last month.

Donations flooded in, including £1,000 from Derren Litten, writer of TV comedy Benidorm, to cover the costs of his funeral today (Friday, April 24) and should be able pay for a headstone at his grave at Tudhoe Cemetery.

Mr Buston, known as Benidorm Jeff, died on Sunday, March 22 just five weeks after he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, at the age of 64.

A funeral service held at The Salvation Army, in Shildon, which waived its usual fee, began and ended with Mr Buston’s own words as recordings of him singing My Way and My Heart Will Go On were played as his coffin was carried to and from the church.

Envoy Margaret Berry led the service and paid tribute to the efforts of Mr Buston’s friends.

She said Salvation Army members recalled him from childhood.

He was born in Spennymoor, the eldest son of the late Ernie and Edna Buston, and used to attend the Salvation Army in Dundas Street, Spennymoor.

As a boy he played the cornet in the Young People’s Band and had a good singing voice and went on to join the choir at St Andrew’s Church, Spennymoor.

In later life, his love of music earned him the nickname Benidorm Jeff as he holidayed in the Spanish resort with former wife, Joyce, where he enjoyed visiting karaoke bars.

He gave up pub work to care for his wife and never returned to paying work instead volunteering at charity shops including Scope, in Spennymoor, and the British Heart Foundation, in Bishop Auckland.

Partner Linda Banks said she appreciated the generosity of those who helped organise and pay for the funeral.

She said: “At one point I didn’t know whether we could give him a funeral but it has been nice.”

Fundraisers have said if any money is left after covering the funeral costs it will be donated to a cancer charity.

*The Northern Echo attended Mr Buston's funeral with the permission of his close friends.