Stars gathered to pay tribute to ‘voice of darts’ Sid Waddell at his funeral in Pudsey today.

Cricket ace Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff and five-time darts world champion Eric Bristow were among the leading lights of the sports world to join mourners at Pudsey Parish Church for a service for the broadcasting legend yesterday, who died after a battle with bowel cancer on Saturday, August 11, aged 72.

Mr Waddell’s wife, Irene, led friends and family into church for the memorial after a private cremation earlier in the day.

The service started with hymn Lord of all Hopefulness, before Sky Sports commentator Dave Lanning and chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation Barry Hearn shared memories of Mr Waddell’s colourful career. In a eulogy, the commentator’s son Dan Waddell made the congregation laugh with stories about his father’s life.

He said: “I know it’s a cliche, but he was more like a mate. We could speak about sport, speak about books, speak about everything – and we did. I will miss those chats and I will miss my dad.”

Darts players including Cliff Lazarenko, Keith Deller and Dennis Priestley attended the service, along with Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling. Outside church, Mr Flintoff remembered his time in the commentary box with Mr Waddell, saying his passion for the sport was “infectious”.

He said: “It was amazing, the time I spent commentating with him a few years ago. Just the chance to sit next to the guy was absolutely unbelievable.”

Mr Hearn told how the PDC World Darts Championship would be renamed the Sid Waddell Trophy in his memory.

He said: “His name lives on and we can repay in some way the contribution he made to our sport.”

Mr Lazarenko said: “It is a sad day for the darts and for the family but I don’t think unfortunately there will be anyone else to replace Sid Waddell.”

Mr Waddell was a central part of Sky Sports’ coverage of PDC darts events since 1994 and was known for his unique one-liners, with his best-known line: “There’s only one word for it – magic darts”.