CAPTAIN Sir Tom Moore’s family told his funeral service today that he may be gone, but his, “spirit lives on.”

The family service for the Yorkshire-born Second World War Army veteran and Covid-crisis charity champion, took place at Bedfordshire Crematorium, not far from the family home in Marston Moretaine.

In keeping with the family’s wishes, due to restrictions amid the pandemic, the midday service was a private event.

It follows the death of the centenarian from pneumonia and coronavirus, in Bedford Hospital, on February 2.

Members of the public were asked to stay at home, but many thousands have signed an online book of condolence, instead.

Only his daughters Lucy Teixeira and Hannah Ingram-Moore, four grandchildren and his sons-in-law were present, all wearing face coverings.

A C-47 Dakota, from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, performed a fly-past ahead of a three-round gun salute by a 14-strong firing party before the Union flag-draped coffin was carried into the crematorium by six pallbearers from the Yorkshire Regiment.

Special items were also placed on the coffin, including a replica of his war-time service cap and a wreath from the regiment.

Among the other memorabilia were his campaign medals, including the Burma Star, and his knighthood medal stitched on to a cushion.

There was also a specially commissioned sword engraved with the motto of the Yorkshire Regiment on one side: “Fortune favours the brave”.

Engraved on the other side is his own personal motto: “Tomorrow will be a good day”.

The service opened with a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, which Sir Tom recorded with Michael Ball and the NHS Voices of Care Choir.

It reached number one, in the wake of the national outpouring of admiration for then plain Captain Sir Tom, after he completed the challenge he set himself to complete 100 laps of his garden.

The celebrant conducting the service read the poem A Happy Man by Edwin Arlington Robinson.

It features the lines: “Children that I leave behind, And their children, all were kind; Near to them and to my wife; I was happy all my life.”

The celebrant said: “It’s quite incredible to think that 163 countries donated to (Sir Tom’s) fundraiser, that’s almost the whole world.

“As wonderful as we think our NHS is, people from other countries really aren’t going to be interested in our health, so it seems obvious to me that they were really investing in Captain Tom and the values he stood for.

“He was a proud British veteran and a gentleman, he lived in a multi-generational environment, not only would that have kept him young, but also symbolises the importance of family to him.

“What sacrifices did he and his peers make in defence of our freedom, a man with a strong moral compass, a strong work ethic, a sense of pride and an indomitable spirit.

“He serves as an inspiration to us all to never give up and always stay strong knowing tomorrow will be a better day.”

Addressing the service, daughter Ms Teixeira, 52, paid tribute to her late father, who captured the nation’s hearts with his efforts raising more than £32m for charity.

Ms Teixeira said: “Daddy, you always told us ‘best foot forward’ and true to your word, that’s what you did last year, raising a fortune for the NHS and walking your way into the nation’s hearts.

“Daddy, I am so proud of you, what you achieved your whole live and especially in the last year.

“You may be gone but your message and your spirit lives on.”

She laughed as she recalled how her father talked to her about concrete pipes to help calm her wedding-day jitters.

Ms Teixeira also recalled the “awful day” Sir Tom lost his wife, Pamela, in 2006, the same day he had taken his grandson to see the type of tank he had served in during the war at a military museum.

“We often talked about milestones in your life and laughed about the possibility of you reaching your 100th birthday,” she said.

“You said: ‘It’s just a number, I don’t feel any different’, and right to the end you ignored the number and kept on going, urging us all to keep on going with the mantra ‘tomorrow will be a good day’.

“You have always influenced me with your strength, your energy, your drive, to get out of bed with a spring in your step and a purpose in mind.

“I know you will be watching us chuckling, saying: ‘Don’t be too sad as something has to get you in the end’.”

Ms Ingram-Moore said that the world had become “enthralled” by her father’s spirit of hope, positivity and resilience.

She added: “We are so proud of the way you handled everything that happened.

“We have been so close as a family before this but we were thrust even closer together as the world became enthralled by your spirit of hope, positivity and resilience.

“They too saw your belief in kindness and the fundamental goodness of the human spirit.”

Captain Sir Tom’s grandson, Benjie, said: “If there is a lesson I have learned from living with you the last 13 years, it’s the power of positivity and kindness.

“I truly do not believe I would be the person I am today without your sound guidance.

“Our chats mid-afternoon that were only supposed to last a few minutes quickly turned into hour-long conversations, quickly delving into so many thought-provoking avenues. These are memories I will never forget and ones I am incredibly grateful to have.

“I can’t imagine how many pieces of my sports equipment would have stayed broken without your ever-trusted super glue.

“I suppose the tables turned in the later years when so often it was Georgia or me fixing something on your phone.”

He continued: “Growing up with you every day, the smell of porridge as I came downstairs was almost a sign to know everything was okay.”

Benjie added that his grandfather sneaking leftovers to the dogs, “filled the morning with more than a bit of joy”.

Earlier in the day the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, David Pearson, laid a wreath in Keighley, Captain Sir Tom’s birthplace, on behalf of the Queen.

The wreath featured 200 white roses around a picture of the late record-breaking fundraiser.

Wreaths of poppies were also laid by local MP Robbie Moore and the town’s mayor and mayoress, Peter Corkindale and Clare Abberton.

Sir Tom was made an honorary freeman of Keighley last summer when he said: “It really is great to be back”, as he watched the plaque unveiled in his honour.

St Mary's Church in Marston Moretaine, Captain Sir Tom's home village in recent years, and many others across the country tolled their bells 100 times at 12-noon, when the funeral service was getting underway.

Among the other music played at the service was a version of Smile, recorded by Canadian crooner Michael Buble.

My Way by Frank Sinatra was played at the end, as requested by Capt Sir Tom, who said he liked the line about, "having too few regrets to mention".