Firefighter colleagues paid a poignant funeral tribute to Anthony Knott, 33, as his fiancee said her last goodbye after the discovery of his body in the River Ouse three weeks after he went missing on a night out.
The service took place at St Giles the Abbot on Church Road, Orpington, with a procession leaving from the funeral directors, Valentine and Turner.
Fellow London firefighters lined up in a row to pay their respects to the father-of-four as the coffin arrived on an old London Fire Brigade rescue ladder vehicle.
Mr Knott, 33, disappeared on December 20 after going to a pub in Lewes with colleagues.
The coffin arriving at St Giles the Abbott church on an old London Fire Brigade rescue ladder vehicle. Anthony Knott, 33, disappeared on December 20 after going to a pub in Lewes with 12 other firefighter colleagues
Firefighter colleagues paid a poignant funeral tribute to Mr Knott, lining up in a row as the coffin arrived at the church, following the discovery of his body in the River Ouse three weeks after he went missing on a night out
Mr Knott’s fiancee, Lucy Otto (right), leaving from funeral directors Valentine and Turner in Orpington High Street, Kent. In an emotional statement the family previously said Mr Knott’s story had ‘touched the hearts of thousands of people’
Anthony Knott was laid to rest today by firefighter colleagues, pictured carrying his coffin after it arrived on an old London Fire Brigade vehicle. The service took place at St Giles the Abbot on Church Road, Orpington, London
In an emotional statement his family previously said his story had ‘touched the hearts of thousands of people’ and thanked everyone who had helped in the search.
Mr Knott left The Lamb in Fisher Street at around 7.16pm and was captured on CCTV approximately half an hour later walking nearby.
Large-scale searches were carried out in an effort to find Mr Knott in the weeks that followed, with Sussex Police deploying boats, dogs, drones and helicopters.
But earlier this month police announced that a body believed to be Mr Knott had been recovered after a member of the public called Sussex Police.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Mr Knott’s family said: ‘We are utterly devastated and completely heartbroken.
‘Anthony’s story has reached out and touched the hearts of thousands of people.
One fellow London firefighter can be seen weeping as colleagues pay their respects to the father-of-four. Earlier this month police announced that a body believed to be Mr Knott had been recovered after a member of the public called Sussex Police
Family and firefighters in a funeral procession which left from funeral directors Valentine and Turner. Police carried out extensive searches for Mr Knott on foot and in the River Ouse for 12 days, but called them off on January 1
Part of the funeral procession leaving the funeral directors. Large-scale searches were carried out in an effort to find Mr Knott in the weeks that followed his disappearance, with Sussex Police deploying boats, dogs, drones and helicopters
‘We would like to thank everyone for your incredible support, shares, posters, volunteers and donations.
‘The people of Lewes, we will be forever grateful for your support & understanding during our searches. These three weeks have been so very hard for us all.
‘We now want to take some time as a family to grieve and as I am sure everyone will understand, to respect our privacy for this time.’
Detective Inspector Mark Rosser said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Anthony at this difficult time.
Mr Knott’s fiancee (centre) outside the funeral directors. The firefighter’s family thanked the people of Lewes for their ‘incredible support, shares, posters and donations’ and ‘understanding’ during the searches
A firefighter helmet being carried at the funeral procession. Mr Knott had been on a work night out with 12 fellow London firefighters, and police said there was nothing to suggest he had left the town
Ms Otto pictured left with her fiancé Mr Knott, right, a 33-year-old father-of-four from Orpington in Kent. In a statement posted on Facebook, Mr Knott’s family said they are ‘completely devastated’
‘We too are saddened by this update and would ask the public and media to respect the family’s privacy at this time.
‘We would like to thank the public for their tremendous support with our investigation into the disappearance of Anthony, along with our partner agencies and volunteers who assisted with the search.’
Police carried out extensive searches on foot and in the River Ouse for 12 days, but called them off on January 1.
Mr Knott had been on a work night out with 12 fellow London firefighters, and police said there was nothing to suggest he had left the town.