A PARADE of Volkswagens marked the final journey of a caravan enthusiast described by his family as a "free spirit".

George Edwards, a grandfather of 10, was taken to his funeral inside a camper van-style hearse – because travelling in a black car was the "last thing he would have wanted".

And mourners dressed in a variety of colours yesterday gathered around the vehicles outside St Philip's Church, in Chaddesden, to pay their final respects to the 54-year-old.

Mr Edwards' funeral was held the day before his daughter Jenny had planned to get married.

But when her father, of Nairn Avenue, died on the same day as she had organised her hen night, Jenny decided to rearrange her wedding.

She said: "My dad was a very independent, genuine man and he could be himself with everyone – from the tramp on the street to the boss in the office.

"When I was planning my wedding, I wanted it to be as unique as possible and my dad got really excited by this prospect of us arriving to the church on a classic 1961 London Routemaster bus.

"That's why I had no doubt he would love the idea of the camper van.

"He loved everything ever created to transport or aid people on their journeys through life.

"He was one for caravans and I remember always having one on the driveway.

"I think he would have been devastated that I've put the wedding back but I think he'd understand and would have loved the arrangements for his funeral."

Born in Derby, George grew up in Chaddesden and, from the age of 17, worked for Severn Trent Water.

Despite taking early retirement, he returned to the company after a few months and was still working there when he became ill.

He died of heart failure in Royal Derby Hospital, after spending four days in intensive care.

He was married twice and is survived by five children Emma, 33, Jenny, 30, Robert, 26, Kerry, 16, and Scott, 14.

Jenny, of Regis Close, Oakwood will now marry fiancé Nick Beesley, 35, in June.

She, said: "Dad was always a hippy at heart and had a commer van before we were born but, once he settled down with children, he always had caravans.

"We went on plenty of holidays in them.

He was never one for luxury trips overseas, although he loved planes and had a big book about them.

"I think he would have sold his house to live on a canal boat if he could. He was a free spirit."

The service at the church, in Taddington Road, was followed by a burial at the Nottingham Road cemetery.