Hundreds of mourners turned up for the funeral of boxer Danny Hall who was killed in a motorcycle accident.

The 26-year-old, crowned Southern Counties super heavyweight novice champion last season and due to turn professional in the new year, died after his Suzuki GSXR 600 collided with a car on the A284 at Arundel.

Family and friends yesterday watched Mr Hall's coffin being unloaded from a horse-led carriage and carried into St Wilfrid's Church, in Ellasdale Road, Bognor, to the theme tune of Rocky.

About 500 people turned up for the emotional service and some even stood in the aisles because the church was so packed.

Mr Hall's widow, Tracey, 31, led the tributes, recalling the first night she met her husband when he jumped in a taxi with her, gave her a kiss on the cheek and left her with a handful of coins for the fare.

She said: "I was so grateful for the time I spent with my Dan and I will always love him."

Mr Hall's father, Danny, 63, said the best way for people to remember his son, known for his huge smile, was to grin like him.

The boxer's brother, Steven, described how their brotherly love was all that mattered between them.

Gerry Lavelle, Mr Hall's coach at St Gerard's Boxing Club in Chichester, told mourners it was extremely obvious from the amount of people at the service that Mr Hall touched many people's hearts.

He said: "Danny arrived at St Gerard's just under two years ago. He said he was in transit between two different local clubs. We as a club on that first evening watched him and knew he was something special. I told Danny if he gave St Gerard's 100 per cent we would give him 110 per cent. After a few weeks training with us, he decided to stay. We were delighted."

Mr Lavelle told mourners that as Mr Hall's coach he became a surrogate father, brother and mother all rolled into one, and he was truly honoured to have shared the boxer's sweat, blood and tears.

Father Roger Calder conducted the service. He told mourners the music chosen for the service, including The Hollies' He Aint Heavy, He's My Brother and Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven and Wonderful Tonight were tunes that Mr Hall loved.

Earlier in the afternoon, more than 200 mourners had gathered outside Mr Hall's house, in Central Avenue, Bognor, where he lived with his wife and their two sons, to watch the start of the funeral procession to the church.

Led by two police motorcycles, the procession included the carriage and horses, three hearses and a lorry from UK SCaffolding, the company co-owned by Mr Hall, containing a flower arrangement of a boxing ring.

Family and friends had criticised the police for calling a halt to plans for members of St Gerard's Boxing Club to walk the four-mile route of the procession along the seafront where Mr Hall used to jog.

But after the service, about 20 youngsters from St Gerard's Boxing Club walked behind the carriage and four horses all the way to Chalcraft Lane Cemetery for Mr Hall's burial.