THE streets of Corsham were filled with applause as hundreds of people paid their respects on Tuesday to a well known resident and businessman Godfrey David Martin.

A red Volvo F10 lorry followed by hearses carrying lorry inspired corteges and flower displays, carried the body of the popular 73-year-old, who died earlier this month, to St Bartholomew's Church.

Mr Martin, who was known to everyone as Dave, took over his father's haulage business G H Martin and Son in the 1980s until its closure in 2012. The community stalwart, who touched many lives in the town, was honoured with a 500-strong presence on the day.

The family of Mr Martin said: "It was a big thing for Corsham that someone who was born in the town and lived there all his life. It was lovely. He knew so many people and all those people made the effort to come out and it was quite humbling. It was a real tribute to him.

"It did stir up a huge amount of emotion when you saw it coming up the High Street. It was one of his trucks and he purchased it quite recently. During his illness in between his treatment, he went up to Glasgow and bough this lorry and shocked his medical consultant by doing that. He didn't tell anyone at the time but it was as if he had a plan."