Mourners gather for Beadle's funeral

Jeremy Beadle's funeral has been held in North London.

The 59-year-old was laid to rest in a private service at Marylebone crematorium in Finchley on Valentine's Day.

Celebrities including Linda Robson, Paul Young, Susan George, Simon MacCorkindale, John Stapleton, Lynn Faulds-Wood and Game For A Laugh co-host Henry Kelly turned out to pay tribute to the TV prankster.

George carried a red rose, saying: "It's for Jeremy. He was one of my best friends."

Stapleton later described the ceremony as "very funny and very moving", adding: "Jeremy was a fabulous guy. He raised millions for charity, and was a wonderful person to have around at charity events. He would always have people up on chairs, singing and dropping their trousers, and people would come up to me and say 'Please can he come again?'"

The order of service recognised the entertainer's passion for pranks with a cartoon of two angels waiting outside heaven with a bucket of water. The caption read: "...and when Jeremy opens the gate...".

Beadle died of pneumonia on January 30, aged 59. He is survived by wife Sue, daughters Cassie and Bonnie, and stepchildren, Leo and Claire.

> Obituary: Jeremy Beadle