A HORSE-drawn hearse provided a grand funeral for a much-loved pensioner yesterday.

The family of 90-year-old Sarah Barnes decided that the best way to mark her passing was in the traditional manner.

So she was transported to her funeral in a horse-drawn hearse, while family and friends were pulled along in a carriage by a 16-year-old gelding, called Fred, who was Mrs Barnes' favourite horse.

The funeral procession wound its way from Beaumont Hill, in Darlington, to the service at the town's St Mark's Church.

From there, the cortege moved on to Mrs Barnes' final resting place at Darlington Crematorium, a journey of more than four miles.

Mrs Barnes, who was best known as Sally, died in Darlington Memorial Hospital on October 16 after an accident in which she broke her hip.

A former weaver who worked in the Lancashire cotton mills, she was originally from Haworth, West Yorkshire, and was one of 13 brothers and sisters.

She moved to Darlington after meeting her late husband, Norman, while on holiday in Redcar, and the pair settled down in Carnaby Road, Darlington. The couple had a son, Trevor, 53, a businessman, and four grandchildren.

Mr Barnes said: "Mum deserved to go out with a bang in the old tradition and we thought she deserved the best."