HUNDREDS of mourners are expected to attend the funeral of a businessman from the region, who died when a passenger plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

Middlesbrough-born Arthur Coakley, from Sandsend, near Whitby, North Yorkshire, was on board Air France flight 447, which crashed on June 1.

Mrs Coakley's funeral will be held at St Hilda's RC church, in Whitby, at noon, on Monday.

He will then be laid to rest in the churchyard of St Oswald's church, in Lyth.

Mr Coakley, a father-of-three, was among five Britons who were on the plane, which had taken off from Rio and was bound for Paris.

The 61-year-old had been on a four-week business trip in Brazil, working for Aberdeen-based engineering company Project Design and Management Solutions.

Mr Coakley's friends and business associates are expected to travel to North Yorkshire to attend next week's service.

His widow, Patricia Coakley, said: "There are two coaches full of Art's friends coming down from Scotland.

"This will be his final party."

Mrs Coakley said all who knew her husband are welcome to attend the funeral.

The family has requested that no flowers are sent.

Last month, Brazilian investigators called off the search for bodies from the crash, which killed 228 people, meaning some victims' remains may never be found.

Mr Coakley was a structural engineer and a director of several companies, including Teesside-based Wilton Engineering Services Limited.

He also leaves three children - Dominic, 31, Patrick, 29, and Mise, 25.