Fishing rods and linesman's flags were held aloft in a special guard of honour for referee and angler Graham East.

More than 300 people attended St George's Church in Gravesend on Wednesday to pay their respects to the Gravesend man, who was chairman of North Kent Sunday League and for many years wrote an angling column for the KM Group.
Mr East, who also ran Dolphin Angling Centre in Gravesend until he retired in 2017, passed away unexpectedly last month aged 67, prompting a flood of tributes from family, friends and those who he had helped through his community work.

"It was a lovely day," said daughter Katie East. "We had the tributes at the church - a light-hearted one from two football referees, a fishing one and a personal family one from my eldest sister Clair. The Church was packed out with people even having to stand. We had well over 300 attend."

Mr East's long-standing friend Keith Slater said it had been a moving occasion, and said the guard of honour was particularly special.

"It was something else," he said. "All the referees with their flags and the guys with their fishing rods - that really made it.

"I don't know of anyone else that has had that.

"The church was absolutely ram-packed," he added. "He was held in high esteem. He did so much for football and so much for fishing, so he will be a hard act to follow."

"He said he wanted to leave a legacy and he certainly did.

A private cremation after the church service was also held as a celebration of Mr East's life, with family tributes, personal songs, and a minute's round of applause. A referee's whistle was also blown during the curtain close as a recording played: "They think it's all over.........it is now."

"There was tears coming down everybody's eyes", added Mr Slater. "It was amazing."