Stars gather to remember Spike

It was always going to be an unusual affair - a service of thanksgiving that brought together Bill Wyman, Michael Foot, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Paul Merton, leading members of the Manic Depression Fellowship and a delegation of blazered gentlemen from Rye Rugby Club.

This was the nation's send-off to Spike Milligan and 750 of people from all walks of life gathered at St Martin-in-the-Fields to remember Britain's greatest comic genius who died in February, aged 83.

Not surprisingly, there was laughter throughout the service, which began with the Rev Nicholas Holtam's observation that "Spike was a Roman Catholic - the sort of Roman Catholic who thought the Pope should agree with him".

He added: "He changed the face of Britain - not just British comedy."

Referring to Milligan's long fight against mental illness, he said: "Genius often comes at a price, and Spike often lived very close to the edge."

No one seemed to mind when Stephen Fry prefaced his reading from St Matthew with: "If you can make head or tail of this, then you have my undying respect." And he finished the reading with the remark: "This is the word of Spike."

Joanna Lumley read Milligan's poem, My Boyhood Dog, which begins: "Boxer, my boxer,

"Where do you lie?

"Somewhere under

"A Poona sky."

Barbara Dickson sang Spike's favourite song, Here's That Rainy Day and Eddie Izzard read another of Spike's poems.

Spike's daughter Jane also sang her father's version of Alice in Wonderland. After the hour-long service, guests gathered in sunshine on the steps of the church. Somewhere up there, Spike was probably laughing.