Refuse wagons will provide a guard of honour at the funeral of a popular Whitehaven binman tomorrow.

Stuart Hughes, 57, died suddenly at his Crummock Avenue home on August 26, and his colleagues wanted to honour him with the guard, set to line the road leading to Distington Hall Crematorium.

Copeland council have also appealed to residents who are due to have their waste or recycling collection tomorrow to put their bins out earlier - by 6am or the night before - to allow his colleagues to complete their work early and attend the funeral.

A statement said: “A number of our waste operatives are due to attend a colleague’s funeral on Thursday and this earlier start time will allow them to attend the service while still being able to complete their rounds.”

Tributes have been paid to Mr Hughes who “always had a smile on his face”.

His cousin, Guy Clifford, said he was a “very happy man” who always had a positive outlook on life.

He said: “I knew he was popular but until now I didn’t realise how popular. We have had hundreds of people contacting us about the funeral.

“I lived across the road from him and we always kept in touch.

“He liked to socialise and loved his family. He loved all the kids and he didn’t miss Christmas or birthdays. He was a massive Liverpool fan, and I mean massive. He was a season ticket holder and very rarely missed a game.”

Mr Hughes had lived on Crummock Avenue since his childhood. He attended Kells Infant School and Monkwray Junior School, then White School, Kells. He had worked as a binman for 25 years.

Mr Hughes had previously fought cancer, but his cousin said he beat it “with a smile on his face”. He had not been ill at the time of his death.

Mr Clifford said: “He never once complained. He always had a smile on his face. Nothing’s ever knocked him. He will be very sadly missed by all the family.”

Copeland’s community services manager, Janice Carrol, said: “I have known Stuart since our school days. He has always been one of those bubbly, smiley people who says hello to everyone. He was also a valued team member and a real hard worker. Over the years he worked across all our waste services. Stuart will be very sadly missed by all his colleagues at the council.”

Mr Hughes’s funeral is at 10.15am tomorrow, at St Peter’s Church, Kells, followed by Distington Hall Crematorium. Mourners are asked to wear casual clothes or Liverpool FC shirts or colours.