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He lived his life through music and that is how busker Daniel Lloyd was remembered at his funeral in Canterbury on Saturday.
The 25-year-old musician nicknamed Taihg, who drowned with friend Hugo Wenn in the Reed Pond in the city last month, was cremated at a private family service at Barham.
A celebration of his life then took place at midday at St Peter's Church in the city centre just yards from where he used to regularly play.
More than 200 mourners joined his family, including his mother Lisa, father Keith and brother and sister Luke and Emma for the 75 minute service.
It was led by Wingham vicar Jo Robertson who is a friend of Mrs Lloyd.
She said: "Let's remember Daniel with a smile on our faces and celebrate the man and his music."
The service for Daniel, who lived at Wincheap, opened with one of his favourite pieces, Desireless by Eagle Eye Cherry and ended with a recording of him singing his own song, Guiding Stars which is now in the top 100 iTunes chart.
There were tears and laughter as his mother Lisa described how even as a small boy at Wingham primary school Daniel, whose nickname was 'Taihg', showed signs of being a born performer.
She talked of his mischevious but loving character and the dedication to his family, particularly his young daughter Kaia.
His father, Keith said his love of animals, and particularly the apes, was a result of his job as a zoo keeper and he recalled a memorable trip they had both made to Borneo to help orphaned orangutans.
His uncle Simon Nash, who taught him his first few chords on the guitar, said he had an 'unbelievable talent' and could grasp new songs very quickly.
He said: "He became engrossed in song writing and his voice would resonate through the streets of Kent. He was never short of a crowd."
There were also eulogies from several friends and musical performances, including King of the Swingers played by fellow buskers.
The memorial service for Hugo, who was 17 and a former pupil of Archbishop's School in Canterbury, took place on Thursday at St John the Baptist Church in Barham where he lived.