Dumper truck used for Sheffield United fan's funeral after 'joke'

There was laughter as well as tears when a dumper truck was used to carry the coffin of a Sheffield United fan.

Dave Newton was described by his family as a fun-loving man who enjoyed jokes and pranks - and so they were happy to go along with his light-hearted request for a dumper truck instead of a hearse.

Phil Cooper, his son-in-law, said Dave had been chatting with his undertaker, a Sheffield Wednesday fan, when he made the 'dumper truck' joke. "He was asked about cars and said, jokingly, 'no just stick me in a dumper truck' - so we did."

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Phil said: "As soon as he said that we knew we had to make sure it was going to happen. He was a fun-loving guy and a practical joker. He was always playing jokes and so we thought we would go with what he wanted." On the day of the funeral there were tears but also a lot of laughter and smiles as the dumper truck rumbled by.

And there was more mirth at the graveside as mourners toasted Dave with shots of cherry and apple sours. Dave, an ex-miner and former retained fireman from Chesterfield, was 81 when he died suddenly. He leaves his wife, Ann, and three daughters, Teresa, Tina and Tracy.

The funeral took place in Whitwell, Derbyshire. Phil, whose partner is Dave's daughter Tracy, thanked Chris and Nigel at funeral director Turner and Wilson for arranging the dumper truck and decorating it. He tweeted a photo of the dumper truck and said the reaction from football fans had been incredible.

Phil is a Sheffield Wednesday fan and said the rivalry and banter with his father in law had always been something special. "He always liked a good laugh and a drink. He said he didn't want people moping (at his funeral) and he wanted people to have a drink, so we had shots at the graveside. He used to love cherry sours and apple sours. It was a nice tribute."

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