Clive, who played Jack Sugden, was the longest-serving member of the cast, having joined the Leeds-based show in 1980.

He died on July 3, aged 63, after a battle with prostate cancer.

Today, his colleagues came to Rawdon Crematorium in Leeds to pay tribute to the man they described as "the father of Emmerdale."

Among those attending were on-screen wife Elizabeth Estensen (Diane Sugden), who gave a touching tribute.

She said: "Clive endured the unendurable. He continued to work through harsh and traumatic times.He suffered pain but didn't ask for sympathy."

Other mourners included Kelvin Fletcher, who played his son Andy, and who yesterday was a pallbearer, along with Mark Charnock (Marlon Dingle).

During the service, Dominic Brunt (Paddy Kirk) played a Celtic medley on the mandolin and both Clive's son Tom and Emmerdale executive producer Keith Richardson gave moving eulogies.

The congregation also heard a track from Clive's former band the Dennisons, playing at the Cavern Club in the 1960s, and a song by heavy rock outfit Rage Against The Machine, said to be one of his favourite groups.

Among the mourners, who arrived in three coaches from the Leeds studios, were current cast members like Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell), Paula Tilbrook (Betty Eagleton), Tony Audenshaw (Bob Hope) and Lucy Pargeter (Chastity Dingle).

Stars of the past attending included Clive's on-screen mum Sheila Mercier (Annie Sugden) and brother Frazer Hines (Joe Sugden), Sheree Murphy (Trisha Dingle) and Claire King (Kim Tate).


Sign up to the Yorkshire Evening Post's email alerts