HUNDREDS of friends and family celebrated the life and mourned the loss of antique dealer John Hart-Gould yesterday following his death earlier this year.

The 46-year-old, who was manager of the Brighton Flea Market, died in hospital after being attacked at the junction of Western Road and Holland Road, in Hove, on October 23.

But at Downs Crematorium yesterday the "warm and loving" man was remembered for the fun and laughter he brought to so many lives.

His funeral cortege stopped for several minutes outside the flea market for colleagues to pay their respects before proceeding to the crematorium which was bursting with flowers.

Ann Mitchell, of the British Humanist Association, led the non-religious service, which included songs and poems written by friends - including Handel's Waft Her Angels, performed by Paul Wallis, and Panus Angelicus, sung by Gemma Carruthers.

Graham Egan, his close friend for 16 years, said: "Many of us are still in a state of shock and disbelief over his death.

"John was loved by everyone who knew him, he had a great sense of humour and was one of the most outstanding people I have ever known. He was a home lover and a faithful friend. All we can be grateful for is that we were lucky enough to know John - he was very special."

John was born in Great Yarmouth to parents Dorothy and Leslie Hart-Gould and had one brother Ivan, but was very close to his mother who shared his artistic interests.

After John's school years, where he excelled at art, he took a one-year foundation course in art before moving to Brighton in 1972 to do a degree at Brighton Arts College.

He had numerous jobs during his life, working for book dealers and running clothes shops, a pub and a restaurant, until he took over the management of Brighton Flea Market, in Upper St James Street, Kemp Town, in the Eighties.

He loved buying and selling antiques and jewellery, particularly Egyptian and Greek items. Yesterday's gathering heard tributes from his fellow antique dealers at the centre and scores of customers whose lives he had touched.

Fran Beard, deputy manager at the market, said: "He was not only my boss but my best friend - he was always there.

"He was a great raconteur and was very warm and a big softie and we called him the 'oracle' because he was so knowledgeable."

When he died John had been living in Palmeira Court where he moved last year but had previously lived in Sussex Square for three years.

l A man has been charged in connection with his death.

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