26 Royal Mail vans join funeral procession to give postman a good send-off after cancer death

A touching video shows the moment when a fleet of mail vans joined a funeral procession along the old postal route of a former postie who died of cancer.

Lee Woolley’s funeral was held on Thursday (1/8), and his pals followed his hearse around his route in Ilkeston, Derbys., one final time. He was described as ‘much loved’ by his family, colleagues and community.

Posties wearing their distinctive red uniforms lined up in formation outside the Bramcote Crematorium, in Notts, to form a guard of honour for Lee's coffin.

‘A line of red up the street’

Lee's sister Sarah Leanne Hearson, 44, said he would have been "gobsmacked" at the turn out and said it was like "royalty". She said: “It was incredible, I haven't seen anything like it. I arrived at my brother's house and his colleagues were at the front of his house. It was just a line of red all up the street, I couldn't believe it.”

The 48-year-old, who was due to become a father to a baby girl this December, died of cancer on July 2. He leaves behind his wife Venessa, 40, and their unborn baby Emma who is due in December after being conceived through IVF.

Workers gave up any overtime pay and worked their free time to attend the funeral.

Ilkeston delivery officer manager Lisa Pynegar, who arranged the special tribute, said: “Lee was such a loved guy and we wanted to show our respects in the biggest way we could.”