Just a handful of mourners gathered for the funeral of a man whose epitaph simply reads: "Unknown Male."

Just seven people, including pallbearers, were present at the Lawns Memorial Cemetery in Woodingdean, Brighton, yesterday for the burial of the unidentified man whose body was washed up on Brighton beach last year.

Faint hopes that a relative or friend would step forward and provide a clue to his identity disappeared as a coffin marked "unknown male" was lowered into the ground.

The Reverend Stephen Terry, from the Aldrington Team Ministry in Hove, led a brief Church of England service.

Although it was held under the 1984 Public Health Control of Diseases Act, it remained dignified, including a reading from the Gospel of St John and the Lord's Prayer.

And on this occasion the message "we come into this world with nothing and take nothing from it" seemed particularly meaningful.

For there were no mourning relatives, no hymns, no fond memories, no expressions of sympathy and no wake.

And there will be no permanent memorial to mark the burial spot once a token bouquet of flowers, provided by the council, has perished.

All that will be left is a square of grass nestled in a peaceful corner of the South Downs, no cross, no gravestone.

These used to be called pauper's graves, based on the assumption that all those who occupied them were destitute.

Now they are called welfare funerals.

The unknown male was discovered in November last year.

First his legs were found, then a torso and head were pulled from the sea and finally a foot was discovered resting on the sand at Hove.

Mysteriously no hands were found but police, who carried out an extensive investigation, ruled out murder.

An inquest held in January recorded an open verdict.

Mr Terry said: "It's very sad that someone is not missed by anybody or even sadder that he is being missed by someone, perhaps very far away, and there's no means of making contact with that person so that they may have some closure.

"It is the first time in 30 years I have been asked to do this and I was unusually moved when the request came in."

Welfare funerals officer Carol Knights said: "It's sad that this man has a history and has a story to tell but we know nothing about him.

"He could have been a sailor involved in a boating accident or he could have jumped off Beachy Head - we just don't know."

The only clothing that was left on the man, aged 40 to 50, was a pair of Influx underpants.

If anyone comes forward at a later date to identify the man the body can be exhumed and moved elsewhere.

Anyone with information should contact the coroner's office at Brighton police station on 0845 6070999.