Tom Parker funeral: Loved ones said goodbye to singer for one last time

Hundreds of fans lined the streets nearby to pay their respects to vocalist Tom Parker, who was remembered by friends, family, and fellow band members at his burial today.

The singer was taken through Petts Wood, south-east London, in a horse-drawn carriage after dying last month at the age of 33 after suffering a rare brain tumor.

As they carried Tom’s casket into St Francis of Assisi church, Tom’s band mates Jay McGuiness, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, and Nathan Sykes fought back tears as the Oasis song “Champagne Supernova” played.

A procession led the pallbearers into the church, which included the singer’s widow Kelsey. Before removing a heart-shaped red rose piece spelling “Tom” from the hearse, they pulled multicolored flowers spelling “Daddy” from the horse-drawn carriage and carried them inside the church.

One Direction’s Liam Payne was among those in attendance, receiving a round of applause from fans as they waited outside the cathedral to watch the ceremony on three giant screens.

Many of Tom’s followers clustered around the televisions, crying and clutching tissues.

In a pre-recorded statement played after the service, Kelsey was heard telling stories about how the pair met at a nightclub before Parker became famous.

“From that moment I told everyone I wanted to marry Tom Parker,” she said before becoming tearful.

The congregation then burst into laughter as she said: “Tom told me he was going to be famous and wouldn’t have time for a girlfriend, but he wouldn’t leave me alone.”

She added: “I will treasure every memory because life with you was never dull. You were always coming up with songs, new game shows, and we all know how much you loved an invention – I bet you were gutted you never made it on Dragons’ Den.

“Marrying you was the best day of my life… soulmates, that’s what we are.”