PETERSFIELD postmen honoured one of their own by standing heads bowed in silence outside the Post Office and escorting the hearse through town in post vans.

Adrian Russell, known as Ade, a Petersfield postman since he was 21, died aged 50 on January 17 after battling bowl cancer.

To honour him, four red post vans drove through town at walking behind the hearse, which was led by a walking mourner.

The cortege circled The Square, stopping at the Post Office so that Adrian’s Royal Mail colleagues stood on the roadside could pay their last respects, before progressing slowly down the High Street, and on to Havant Crematorium.

His mother Jenny said: “The crematorium was jam packed, which shows how well liked he was.

“It was a hard, sad, day, but many of his work colleagues were there, which was brilliant.”

Adrian of Stoneham Park leaves a wife, Karen, six children and a grandson. The family have asked that anyone who would like to make a donation to Queen Alexandra Hospital Oncology Unit does so through funeral directors Michael Miller Partners, The High Street, Petersfield.