More than 500 people gathered for the funeral of one of the most respected journalists in Sussex.

Rowan Dore, reporter for The Argus, was described as an amazing family man, a skilful professional and someone with a generous soul.

Many mourners had to stand yesterday at the packed St Margaret's Church in Rottingdean, Brighton, where family, friends, colleagues and dignitaries paid their respects.

Mr Dore, who worked for The Argus from 1997, died at his home in Rottingdean on December 15, aged 56.

Father Martin Morgan, Vicar of Rottingdean, said Mr Dore had touched so many people's lives and at the same time single-handedly raised four children following the death of his wife Sally in 1989.

He said Mr Dore plied his trade as a journalist with humanity and there was never anything "vicious" about him.

He was always inquisitive about people, including his friends at the Black Horse and The Plough in Rottingdean and his colleagues at the Press Association in London and The Argus.

He said Mr Dore had graced Rottingdean as he had graced journalism.

Fr Morgan said: "We will remember all the good things about him but above all we will remember him as Dad to those children of his and we will marvel that somebody could do so many things so well but not realise it themselves.

"That is our pain."

Mr Dore's daughter Lucinda, 25, said he was the only person she knew who never had a bad word to say about anyone.

He saw the best in everyone and he made people feel important and interesting.

Her sister Briony, 28, read a Father's Day poem and Mr Dore's third daughter, Tammy, 29, told how he loved football, Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea - a passion he shared with his son Joe, 21.

Tammy said when she told her son Joshua, six, the sad news, he said: "Don't worry Mummy, Grandpa will be in heaven now with George Best."

Mr Dore's sister, the singer and songwriter Charlie Dore, sang Looking For My Own Lone Ranger.

Miss Dore said: "When you look at how willing he was to help people, how unjudgemental, how he managed to raise four wonderful children single-handedly for 16 years, you know he was one of life's good guys.

"He was special and good. Everyone will miss his dry humour, his story-telling, his chaos, his generosity, his passion for his work and his general Rowan-ness.

"Rowan should not just be a name but an adjective.

"He was unique."

Mourners included The Argus editor Michael Beard, current and former colleagues at The Argus, former editor of The Argus Simon Bradshaw, PA colleagues Geoff Smith, Finlay Marshall, Chris Moncrieff and Chris Mead, Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper, Monty Python actress Carol Cleveland, former Brighton MP Sir Andrew Bowden, actor Mark Brailsford, Brighton and Hove city councillor Geoffrey Theobald, radio DJ Ambrose Harcourt, Albion footballer Adam El-Abd and former Brighton and Hove mayor Jenny Langston-Barnard.

Flowers included an Argus front page from Mr Dore's colleagues, which carried a list of tributes to him.