Taxi drivers formed a convoy to escort their former friend and colleague to his final resting place.

Around ten cabbies turned out for "born and bred Braintree man", Alan Smith, 63, who died suddenly on April 16 from heart failure.

Mr Smith started his taxi driving career in 1990s after working for Braintree Council and he carried on driving despite a heart attack in 2000.

By this time, he had become chairman of Braintree Hackney Carriage Association and was the proud owner of his own taxi plate.

Mr Smith’s convoy met at the taxi rank in Manor Street on Monday morning and followed the hearse to Three Counties Crematorium for the funeral service.

Kevin Tracey, Mr Smith’s brother, described him as a devoted uncle whose sociable nature made him a brilliant cabby.

He said: "Alan was a born and bred Braintree man and he made friends for life.

"As he always said, his favourite part of his job was taking special needs children to school and going the extra mile developing a great working relationship with the children and their parents.

"Always having been a bachelor and having no children of his own, the arrival of two nephews and a niece became the children he never had.

"He treated them like royalty with nothing being too much trouble for Uncle Alan to do."

In his spare time, Mr Smith was a successful pub darts player who captained the Eagle pub team in Coggeshall Road and then the team at Notley Sports and Social Club.

Driver Barry Archer, who was friends with Alan for 21 years, rallied round to organise the taxi convoy.

He said: "He was my friend right the way through and he was always pretty calm - I will miss him."