AS a child he loved the Fenland farm where his brother worked. And it was one of 47-year-old Peter Moore's final wishes that the funeral hearse was ditched for a tractor and trailer. Peter died earlier this month after a four-year battle against a brain tumour

Story by: TOM JACKSON

AS a child he loved the Fenland farm where his brother worked. And it was one of Peter Moore's final wishes that the funeral hearse was ditched for a tractor and trailer.

His death aged just 47 after a four-year battle against a brain tumour left hundreds in awe of his relentless courage against the disease.

And on Friday March came to a standstill when a John Deere tractor 'hearse' pulled up outside St Peter's Church, carrying his coffin draped in the colours of his beloved Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

It was a fitting send-off for a man who tackled his illness with a boundless energy, determined to overcome day-to-day tasks unaided although they became such a challenge.

His widow Donna said: "Peter said he didn't want a hearse - he wanted something different. After a while he told me to take him to see a mate because he wanted to be taken by tractor. His mate said it would be an honour."

His son Dayne said: "No matter what the circumstances he would always find a way of making you laugh and making you happy, just to make you feel safe. That's how he made me feel.

"He had an ignorance for his illness. He never believed it would beat him, he said the only way it would beat him is by killing him. In the end it did."

Peter, a former March Town United footballer, died on January 6 at his Badgeney Road home with his family by his side.

He was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2006, but in March this year the tumour became larger and more aggressive.

He underwent surgery later the same month, which was followed by intense chemotherapy at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

As a boy his family moved from Benwick to March, but his brother Danny continued to work on a farm in the village.

Donna said: "When Danny came home for dinner he brought the tractor and trailer from the farm with him. Peter liked being down the farm and would want to go back but Danny would say no.

"But Peter would sneak in the trailer and halfway back to Benwick would pop his head up out of the trailer, so Danny had no choice but to take him."

More than 300 mourners attended Peter's funeral. Many of them wore Spurs' colours of blue and white.

The service was followed by cremation at Mintlyn Crematorium in King's Lynn, before a wake at Elliott Lodge in March attended by about 150 people.

Peter also loved darts and played for the Hammer and Anvil, the Lord Nelson and the GER.

He leaves his wife of 10 years Donna, sons Christopher, 25, and Dayne, 21, and daughter Zoe, 18.

Zoe said: "Dad was loving and kind, he never moaned about his illness. He had a great sense of humour until the end.

"He was just so courageous and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

• To email your tribute to Peter click here.