Brighton police officer's hearse is vintage red London bus

Dave Brooks served for more than 40 years after joining up in 1964.

His son has paid tribute to him after bus enthusiast Dave made his final journey in a vintage double-decker red London bus, described as a “fitting send off”.

Peter Brooks, also a police officer, said: “Dad had a massive heart. He was a thoughtful person and a great listener.

David Brooks (Image: Family handout)

“He loved buses and model buses - we all have something and for dad it was buses.

“The funeral was the most fitting send off. I managed to find a ticket from 1941, the year he was born, so he wasn’t without a ticket for his final journey.”

Born in Kent, Dave, 82, joined Brighton Borough Police as it was then known in the mid-1960s when he moved to the city. He walked his first beats around London Road.

Dave with his accordion (Image: Family handout)

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He later worked at Sussex Police headquarters in Lewes and was involved in some of the most high-profile cases in the city’s history including the Babes in the Woods murder and The Grand hotel bombing.

Dave met his wife Maggie, 79, while working at John Street police station in Brighton.

Despite retiring in 1996 his time away from the police force lasted just nine days because he re-joined Sussex Police as a special constable.

The London bus transporting David to St Mattias Church (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

Peter, 49, said one of his father’s final acts in the force was to walk the same London Road beat that his son then held.

Dave was briefly a London bus driver before joining the police and developed a love of London buses from this.

His final journey began from London Road where the double-decker "hearse" with his coffin on board set off for St Matthias Church in Fiveways where he also delivered sermons and volunteered as church warden.

Peter, right, walks in front of the funeral procession (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

Peter described his father as a “very religious man” and said he had fond memories of him playing the accordion in the church at Christmas and preaching.

In his eulogy, Dave’s daughter Ruth described him as a “great man with the most infectious and wicked sense of humour”.

She added: “He was a very proud family man. He didn’t even need to tell you he was proud of you or shout it from the rooftops, you could see it in his eyes and in his smile. He was exceptionally loving and endlessly entertaining.”

David's coffin inside the bus (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

Peter, who is set to retire from Sussex Police next year, wore his full uniform for the final time while walking in front of the bus as it made its way to the church.

Dave is survived by his wife Maggie, 79, and children Peter, 49, Ruth, 52 and Emma, 56. He also has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.