FUNERALS are traditional a sombre affair, with all present in mourning for the loved one they have lost.

But in many cases, it can be a more upbeat occasion - a chance to pay respect to that person, celebrate a life well led, and share fond memories with others.

With the hundreds that came to pay their respects to Adam Taylor at his funeral, it shows how important to the community his presence was and how much he will be missed, but the true showing of his popularity was in the numbers that joined the celebrations in his name later that night.

And while the grief of mourning will persist long after the funeral, the light at the end of the tunnel is that it subsides, leaving only good times in its stead.

One way or another, in the end everyone passes on, but it is important to remember that people live on in memory, and with the no-doubt large amount of stories shared by the many friends and family who paid tribute to Mr Iron Acton, he is still going strong.