A schoolboy who died after falling into a river while fishing with his dad was being laid to rest in a Lightning McQueen-themed coffin.
Lucas Dobson's casket - featuring one of his favourite characters from the Disney animated film Cars - was taken past an honour guard comprising members of the search and rescue team who looked for him.
Hundreds of mourners wore red, Lucas' favourite colour, as they hugged and wept before Friday's funeral in Deal, Kent, on what would have been his seventh birthday.
His dad Nathan Dobson wore red and his mum Kirsty Furze had her hair dyed red in tribute to their son, who died after falling into a river while fishing with his father, KentLive reports.
Mr Dobson had jumped into the River Stour in Sandwich in a desperate bid to save his son, who was carried away by the strong current.
Photos of Lucas were displayed at the front of the church next to a motorbike helmet, a toy boat and a child's painting as mourners attended the afternoon service.
One of the six-year-old's favourite acts, the hip hop group So Solid Crew, performed at the start of the service as pictures of Lucas were shown on a large screen.
Rev Peter Ould asked members of the emergency services to stand as he paid tribute to them during the service.
Mourners gave them a standing ovation.
The service was due to conclude with pop star George Ezra's hit song Shotgun.
Lucas died after falling into the river during a fishing trip with his dad last month.
The boy was trying to step from a jetty to a boat when he fell into the water on August 17.
His dad and two other men dived in to try to save him, but the current swept him out of their reach.
Lucas' body was found on August 21 after a five-day search-and-rescue operation involving hundreds of emergency services members and volunteers.
His family allowed the media to gather outside the church during Friday afternoon's funeral, which was held at St George's Church in Deal, as tributes were paid by relatives.
Speaking before the service, Jane Tomlinson, from the Red Cross emergency response team, which supported search for Lucas, told KentLive: "For us, it brings it to an end for all the right reasons and for everybody that was involved in the search.
"We are here unofficially but we worked with the team that were in the tent during the search."
The 69-year-old added: "Our job was to support the emergency services who were doing the searching."
Search team member Elaine Burroughs 50, said: "I searched for him every day.
"My daughter knows some of the family.
"Today is about laying him to rest and having the memory of him. It’s a sad day.
"No words can describe what the parents are going through.
"It’s made us feel emotional thinking of Nathan and Kirsty all the time."
Lucas' parents have launched a campaign in his memory to improve safety measures along the river.
Describing Lucas as a "special boy", Mr Dobson told ITV News of the moment his son plunged into the water and didn't resurface.
He said during the August interview: “There was adults right next to him and he just disappeared and never come back up.
“And it’s only since the tragedy you notice there’s only a few life rings, I haven’t noticed any signs to say how dangerous the undercurrents of the water is.
“You see how fast the water moves but you don’t realise how powerful it is.”
Ms Furze wept next to him as he thanked those who were involved in the search.
