Night club owner Peter Stringfellow fought back tears as he paid tribute at his father's funeral in Brighton.

Peter was comforted by his brothers Geoffrey, Terry and Paul as the family gathered to say goodbye to their father James, who died on March 6 at Victoria Nursing Home in Hove, aged 83.

Many close friends and relatives attended yesterday's service for the former steelworker at Downs Crematorium.

Peter struggled with emotion as he tried to find the right words to pay tribute to his beloved father.

He said: "My brothers and I used to want to give dad everything but he did not want it. He had everything he wanted.

"If we have to be good to get into heaven then that is where he is."

About two dozen mourners heard the Reverend George Butterworth describe Mr Stringfellow as a "kind, hard-working and gentle man".

He said: "James was the kind of man with whom what you saw was what you got. And people loved what they saw."

Mr Stringfellow had served during the Second World War in Austria and Italy as a Lance-Corporal with the Royal Scots Greys.

The vicar described how, with his wife Elsie, he supported Peter on his first step into show business by helping him set up his first club.

Mr and Mrs String-fellow moved to Hove to live by the sea after his retirement at 53.

Mrs Stringfellow died nine years ago and Mr Stringfellow moved in with his youngest son, Terry, in Holland Road, Hove.