They lined the entrance to the church and saluted a brave colleague.

Seventy officers made their silent tribute as Bradford firefighter Andy Clague made his final journey after falling victim to cancer.

Hundreds of mourners watched as the firefighter was carried into Rawdon Crematorium by friends and colleagues.

The 39-year-old father-of-two from Idle lost his life to cancer after a two-year battle against a rare spinal tumour.

More than 350 relatives, friends and colleagues packed into the tiny chapel to pay tribute to the man described as a "collector of friends".

The turnout was so overwhelming that 100 more had to queue outside to pay their respects.

The mourners included Andy's wife Aldona, his mother Betty, sisters Angela and Alison, daughters Haley and Sophie and stepchildren Steven and Debbie.

West Yorkshire Chief Fire Officer Phil Toase also attended and two fire tenders from Fairweather Green and Rawdon were parked in the chapel grounds.

Andy's coffin was carried into the chapel to the sound of the Alanis Morrisette song Ironic. The firefighter believed it to be a fitting choice.

Before and after the diagnosis, Andy had helped raise thousands of pounds for research and treatment into the illness that ultimately claimed his life.

The simple service was conducted by brigade chaplain Canon Ian Gaskell.

He said: "The overwhelming thing was the number of people who turned out to pay their respects."

It also included a speech by his best man and best friend, Shipley Fire Station sub-officer Sean Fearon, who recounted the time when Andy was laid up in bed with the illness.

He told the congregation about the time fire service colleagues commandeered an ambulance stretcher and wheeled him down to his local for a pint.

At the end of the service, Andy's fire helmet from his last post at Fairweather Green - which had laid on top of his coffin - was presented to his wife.

It was during his time at Fairweather Green that Andy started to complain of back pain.

A scan in August 1998 revealed a tumour in the connecting tissue of his spinal cord - a rare illness in someone so young.

Andy proposed to Aldona, his partner of 10 years, and they married at Bradford Register Office two days later.

Last year a team of firefighters spent three months making the couple's home in Idle wheelchair-friendly.

They were in the process of carrying out a Changing-Rooms style facelift at the house earlier this month when Andy became gravely ill.

He died four days later in the Marie Curie Cancer Care hospice at Ardenlea, Ilkley.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.