Pub regulars in Wallingford collected enough money to bury one of their friends who died penniless and without a family.

Fred Gorman, 72, of St Albans Court, was a regular at The Dolphin and the King's Head in the town.

Dolphin landlady Jacqui Howard said Mr Gorman was a real character.

She said: "We were all sad when he died. Then we learned he had no family and would have had to have a pauper's cremation. We just couldn't let him go like that.

"We raised more than £400 to pay for the church and the burial plot."

She added that the undertakers, R and H Barker, and The Flower Studio were also helping with the funeral arrangements.

She added: "We'll all be there to wish him farewell. He might have been without money and without a family, but he was not without friends."

The collection was organised by Mrs Howard and King's Head landlord Alan Mee.

Undertaker Roger Barker said: "We've never come across anything like this before. The humanity of the people at these two pubs has been heartwarming."

The service will be at St Leonard's Church, Wallingford, at 2pm on Friday, May 23.