Arnie Sidebottom and Geoff Cope help to carry Phil Carrick's coffin into church today

Cricket stars past and present were among mourners who packed Bradford Cathedral today at the funeral service of former Yorkshire captain Phil Carrick.

Yorkshire cricket captains Brian Close, Ray Illingworth and Martyn Moxon, legendary former umpire Dickie Bird, and ex-England stars Graham Gooch and John Emburey were among those who paying their respect to Mr Carrick, who died last week from leukaemia aged 47.

Current Yorkshire captain, David Byas, was among the cricketers who acted as pall-bearers as the coffin, laden appropriately with wreaths of white roses, was carried into the packed cathedral for the Thanksgiving Service.

Dickie Bird spoke warmly of Mr Carrick as he arrived for the service.

"I have lost a great friend. It's a very very sad day for a lot of people, He said.

"He was a wonderful man and he shouldn't only be remembered for his record as a cricketer for Yorkshire which was tremendous and speaks for itself. He played the game in the right spirit and he was a good cricket captain as well.

"A lot of people don't realise that he did a lot for Yorkshire youngsters and a lot of the present players have a lot to be thankful for to Phil Carrick."

Mr Bird said he would like to see some kind of permanent memorial made to Mr Carrick on the coaching side of the game.

There was standing room only in the cathedral during the service, which was led by the Provost, the Very Reverend John Richardson.

See Yorkshire fury over 'attack' on Carrick

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.