Flamboyant funeral for character Bruce

Bruce Pattison was known as an extrovert among his local community and even planned his own flamboyant funeral.

Hundreds of people turned up to the funeral and remembrance service yesterday, as a tractor and trailer carried the coffin to a Staffordshire village church.

He wanted the transport because of his link to farming. The popular racehorse enthusiast, who grew up in Great Wyrley, even had a coffin made for his hat. He planned his funeral before he lost a fight with cancer on June 12, aged 70.

The private service at Upper Landywood Chapel was followed by cremation at Bushbury Crematorium, Wolverhampton.

A service of remembrance was then held at Great Wyrley Wesley Methodist Chapel.

Mr Pattison grew up on New Tack Farm, on the A34 in Great Wyrley, where his grandfather, William Wootton, ran the farm.

He worke a builder and for a time worked with John Whitehouse Transport as a driver. He was a former Queen Mary's Grammar School pupil in Walsall.

He lived at Hilton Park, near Wolverhampton and was also a prominent community figure in Shareshill helping the elderly.

His sister Margaret Pursehouse, said: "He was a very popular man. He had grown up in Great Wyrley and was well known in the village. He was a very flamboyant man - a real extrovert. It was was his wish to be taken to his funeral by tractor and trailer. He was a joker and this was his idea. He always wanted to put a smile on people's faces. He loved racing and had bred horses during his life. He knew all of the top trainers and went to all of the top meetings like Ascot, Epsom and Kempton with his wife Marjorie.

"He was well known in the community of Great Wyrley, Cheslyn Hay, Landywood and Shareshill and was always there to help people. He would help the elderly with little jobs or do their shopping. He was a very popular community man."

He leaves behind wife Marjorie and two children Samantha and William as well as seven grandchildren.