HUNDREDS of people lined up to applaud a fire engine which carried the coffin of 17-year-old Gary Pitchford.

The teenager died in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, on May 20 with his family by his side.

He had been in the hospital fighting for his life after the silver Peugeot 106 car he was travelling in crashed into a tree in Abberton Road, Langenhoe, two days earlier.

About 300 people crowded into St Barnabas Church, in Abbot’s Road, Colchester, yesterday for the funeral of the Colchester Institute student.

Gary had ambitions to be a firefighter, and his family arranged for his coffin to be brought to the church on a London Fire Brigade engine.

Flowers on the coffin spelled out “Gazza”, while a yellow fireman’s helmet lay on top.

As a mark of respect many of the crowd wore Liverpool football shirts in recognition of Gary’s devotion to the team.

In amongst the sea of red were youngsters wearing their Thomas Lord Audley School uniform – as that was the school Gary attended until he was 16 – and others in personalised football shirts, dedicated to “Gaz” or simply “Legend”.

The service began with Liverpool anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone, reducing an already emotional congregation to tears as the teenager’s coffin was carried in by six of his friends and family.

His sister Hayley, brother Wayne and father Kevin each spoke, paying tribute to a young man who was “the life and soul” of any party, and whose smile would light up a room.

Father Richard Tillbrook also gave a moving homily to Gary, who he knew for six years.

He said: “All of us here are filled with emotion. It is difficult to know how we should feel. His family and you, his friends, have been through a rollercoaster of feelings since news of his death.

“I have shared moments with Gary’s family when we have been laughing and joking as we remembered his antics, and I have been with them as we have sat and cried because we miss him and wish from the depths of our hearts he had not died.”

Father Tillbrook also brought laughter to the church, as he shattered Gary’s “cool image”.

“Not many of you know he came to church from time-to-time,” he recalled. “He wasn’t a holy Joe, but he would slip in from time-to-time and hide so as not to lose too much street cred.

“I well remember his last time here when I was giving out chocolate santas and snowmen to the little children. I spotted Gaz hiding and praying that I wouldn’t embarrass him. Well, I couldn’t resist it.

“Mr Cool turned bright red as I presented him with his snowman. I hope he has forgiven me.”

After the service, the congregation lined Abbot’s Road as Father Tillbrook walked up the road, leading the fire engine to Colchester Crematorium.

Spontaneous applause broke out as they clapped his coffin as it passed in a final mark of respect.