'˜Everyone who knew him is going to miss him...'

Scores of family and friends attended the funeral service of Robert Webb at Kingston Cemetery, in Portsmouth, yesterday.

Mr Webb, 64, commonly known as Bob, died in a Philippines hospital on June 19 after becoming seriously ill. He was in the country visiting his wife Jennifer and was being treated for Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious condition affecting the nervous system, after he collapsed.

A white horse-drawn carriage led Mr Webb’s funeral procession from his sons Mark’s house at Norden Way, Leigh Park, to the ceremony in Portsmouth.

Mark Webb and his wife Kelly organised the send off for the popular and well-liked retired builder from Buckland in Portsmouth.

Mark, paying tribute to his father, said:‘He was a lovely man and lived life to the full. He would be always be keeping himself busy. He loved going to Bingo, was a big Liverpool FC fan and liked going to auctions.

‘He was a just an all-round popular character, who loved his big family and adored his wife Jenny. Everyone who knew him is going to miss him.’

Mr Webb was carried into the chapel by Mark and other family members to the song of Luther Vandross’s Dance With My Father Again.

Mark described the service as being ‘a celebration’ of his dad’s life. ‘Look how beautiful the carriage and everything is. It’s really special. Everything from the flowers to the songs we picked are symbols of things that Dad loved and enjoyed in life.’

His grieving wife Jenny was unable to attend her husband’s funeral as she was refused a temporary compassionate visa to visit the UK. Instead she had to watch the service via video call.

Kelly, Mark’s wife, said: ‘She’s finding it really hard. She’s devastated that she wasn’t allowed to come. She is just heartbroken.

Mark added: ‘I’ve never seen my dad as happy with a woman as he was with Jenny. He really loved her.’

Jenny’s sister Jessette Adams came down from Wales to attend the service.

She said: ‘My sister is completely upset. She would have loved to see this beautiful service for Bob. It’s a shame she cannot be here, she would have loved to have come.’

Mr Webb had no travel insurance and his family held a fundraiser back in June which payed for his body to be flown back to England and covered the hospital bills in Asia.

They had intended to get him home for further treatment, before he died.

Nicole Robinson, a neighbour of Mark and Kelly, helped organise the fundraiser.

She said: ‘Bob was a very well loved and popular man and this was clear by all the support Bob and his family received.’

Tina Webb, who was married to Mr Webb’s brother, said: ‘Bob was a happy go lucky person, he would go out for a drink and was just a normal down to earth guy.

‘He is going to be missed by everyone and especially his grandchildren who just adored him.’