Armed Rolex robber's funeral flowers feature machine gun, bolt cutters and balaclavas

Mourners at the funeral of a notorious armed robber said it with flowers depicting his tools of the trade – including a submachine gun he was caught with.

Flowers at the funeral of Matthew Ferry included a Mac-10 submachine gun, a balaclava and bolt cutters inspired by his life of crime.

Other wreaths included a burner phone and signage for the jewellery store he robbed of £250,000 at gunpoint – as well as Rolex and Cartier watches.

The service for Ferry was held at Edinburgh’s Mortonhall Crematorium before he was laid to rest at the city’s Saughton cemetery after his death in prison last month.

One mourner said: “It was the most remarkable funeral I’ve ever been to.

“It was like something from The Sopranos.”

Family members, friends and gangland figures attended the service for their “Smash n Grab friend” who had been serving 13 years at HMP Edinburgh for the armed hold-up of a Laing’s jewellery store in 2015.

The 33-year-old was found dead in his cell on March 25.

A wake took place at the city’s Silver Wing pub after the funeral on April 12 with a heavy “police presence” though it’s claimed officers knew not to get too close.

The mourner added: “Matthew Ferry had carried out a pretty well known crime.

“But he was very well liked in Edinburgh and there were hundreds at the funeral and the wake at the Silver Wing pub later.

“There was a police presence at the wake as well but they kept their distance.

“The flowers were amazing.

“There were bouquets devoted to his biggest crime – where he carried out an armed raid and stole a load of watches from a jeweller in the town.

“There were flowers made into shapes like a machine gun, watches, balaclavas, bolt cutters. One said ‘Smash and Grab’ in big letters.

“There was even one with the logo of the jewellers he robbed. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Friends and family also left messages on a page dedicated to Ferry’s memory, which read: “This site is a tribute to Matthew Ferry.

“He is much loved and will always be remembered.

“Matthew, a much-loved son of Lorraine and Manus, loving brother of Shaun, Michael and Lori, cherished grandson of the late Mary and a loved cousin and nephew who will be sadly missed by all his Hutchison family, extended family and many friends.”

Friends took to social media to pay tribute at the weekend including cousin Tommy Hood who posted on Facebook: “Rest easy Matthew Ferry.

“You got a top turnout from all the boys that meant most to you.

“Loved and missed by many many people.” A fatal accident inquiry is to be held after the relative of gangland kingpin Mark Richardson died of a suspected drugs overdose.

Ferry had been nearing a potential release date but inmates who feared for his welfare raised the alarm before staff made the grim discovery at 8am.

Prisoners at HMP Edinburgh are locked up from 4pm until 7.30am meaning that no checks had been made overnight.

Ferry was part of a gang who held up Laing’s jewellery store in Edinburgh’s Frederick Street in a notorious heist.

Hooded Ferry pointed a gun at the manager of the jeweller’s and shouted: “Put the f***ing watches in the f***ing bag or I’ll shoot you.”

Staff at the shop needed counselling following their terrifying ordeal during the daylight raid in the heart of the capital. CCTV caught the attack on video. Ferry thought he’d got away with his crime.

But the shop’s managing director tailed him through the streets and got passers-by to take photos of the taxi on their phones.

The pictures later helped police trace Ferry. They found him at his gran’s where he had stashed a powerful Mac 10 sub-machine gun and heroin with an estimated street value of £50,000.

He pled guilty to armed robbery, assault, abduction, possessing the machine gun and involvement in drug dealing.

However, the watches taken in the raid worth an estimated £230,000 have never been recovered.

He also dropped £23,000 worth of stock as he fled the shop after the raid.

Laing’s, a family business which was established in 1940 and has branches throughout the UK, boasts on its website that it stocks “the finest diamonds in the city, all hand picked by our 5th generation owner Michael Laing OBE”.

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