HUNDREDS of mourners gathered to pay their respects and say their final goodbyes to an avid anti-knife campaigner and “hero” father.

Family and friends came together at Chelmsford Cathedral for the funeral of Trevor Woolley, 47, who died in America in September.

Bagpipes played and prison officer colleagues of Mr Woolley, who worked at HMP Chelmsford, lined up in respect as his coffin was carried into the cathedral, where the service was performed by Father James Ridge.

During the service, a tribute from Mr Woolley’s mother, Iris Miles, said she would “miss you every day of my life, until we meet again”, while his sisters, Emma Woolley and Sharon Bliss, named their beloved brother their “hero”.

Paul, Mr Woolley’s eldest son, delivered a touching eulogy, speaking movingly of how his father was an “inspiration” and reading the Dash, a poem by Linda Ellis, while prison officer Mike Smith also paid his respects.

Mr Woolley, from Witham, became an avid anti-knife campaigner following the death of his son Ashley Woolley, 18. The Chelmsford College student was murdered by classmate Steven Davenport in Oaklands Park, in Chelmsford, in December 2014.

Although Ashley’s death devastated his family, Mr Woolley vowed to do his best to combat knife crime in the city and across Essex, joining the anti-weapon charity Only Cowards Carry.

He was involved in bringing knife amnesty boxes, which enable knife carriers to hand in their weapons to police with no questions asked, to Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford, Colchester and Tendring.

Mr Woolley also began his own campaign, supported by the Echo’s sister paper the Chelmsford Weekly News, to encourage people to give blood in memory of Ashley, who received ten pints of blood during the battle to save his life.

In honour of the Give Ten Pints for Ashley campaign, which saw more than 70 people donate at its first dedicated donation session, many members of the funeral congregation wore red.