THE great and good of York attended the Minster funeral of York's "Mr Poppy", Ted Griffiths.

Dozens of people, including the Lord Mayor, Cllr Ian Gillies, and the Sheriff, John Kenny, joined the friends and family of the Royal British Legion stalwart in the cathedral's quire to celebrate the life of the veteran, affectionately named Mr Poppy because of his unstinting voluntary work for the Legion's annual appeal.

There was a guard of honour outside, before Mr Griffith's coffin was carried in, draped in the union flag with his trusty bowler hat on the top.

In a tribute read at the service, his son David spoke of his father's military service and how the memory of the death of a friend had fuelled his tireless fundraising.

He said: "Just three months after his 20th birthday my father was called for military service, and he joined the royal artillery.

"It was a day that changed his life, and the man he had become.

"It was during these years, my father lost his closest war time friend and confidant, in a most brutal and devastating way. Taking a direct hit from an enemy shell, while they shared a cigarette, he died, leaving a wife and young family. In contrast, my father was a single man.

"I know he felt the burden of guilt for surviving when, in his own eyes, a more needed man had not and he struggled with the injustice he felt happened that day. I know these thoughts haunted him and through the British Legion Poppy Appeal he vowed to help families who had lost loved ones."

He also recounted how his father died reading The Press' report on his final Barbican festival.

He added: "And let's not forget, the York Festival of Remembrance was very much his party. So, at the age of 95, to organise one last festival, and to pass away while reading about it in the paper, seems to me a perfect way to bow out of a most extraordinary life.

"A life that will be remembered by his friends, by his children and by his grandchildren, and I hope that in years to come, his great grandchildren will know of, and remember, the man we remember today."

Mr Griffiths died earlier this month, aged 95, at his home in Heworth, just a day after his latest Festival of Remembrance raised thousands of pounds more for the poppy appeal.

The festivals are thought to have raised a total of about £150,000 over the years for the appeal.

Mr Griffiths was the chairman of the Legion's Ridings group for many years and president of the York branch, organising its annual poppy appeal. He was awarded the coveted Gold Badge, and was presented with the MBE in 1997 and won The Press’ Community Pride Person Of The Year trophy in 2010.