FAMILY and friends rubbed shoulders with showbiz stars as they bid farewell to much-loved Stourbridge funnyman Lee Wilson this week.

Celebrities such as Jasper Carrott, Tom O’Connor and Ian ‘Sludge’ Lees joined the many mourners who packed into a full to capacity St Mary’s Church, Oldswinford, for Lee’s funeral yesterday (Tuesday June 25).

Daughter Debbie Dunn said: “It was a fitting tribute to my dad. They always used to say he was a hard act to follow and it was a very hard but wonderful day.”

Many tributes were made to Lee, real name Geoff Beards, who died at the age of 74 from pancreatic cancer.

Close friend and golfing partner Gary Wood made a speech while grandchildren Libby, aged 22, Ellie, aged 20, Chelsea aged 18, twins Emily and Sam, aged 16, Charlie, aged ten, Harry, aged six, and great-grandchild Isabelle, just four months made a vocal recording, both of which were received with rapturous applause.

The funeral was performed by the Rev Ruth Atkinson.

After the funeral, there was a private ceremony at Stourbridge Crematorium followed by a wake at Hagley Golf and Country Club.

Debbie added: “We’re still receiving cards of condolence from America, Australia, all over the world in fact.”

The family are also raising funds for pancreatic cancer and if anyone would like to make a donation they can send it to Funeral Directors H Porter & Sons, of South Road, Stourbridge.