Funeral of Bristol civil rights campaigner Roy Hackett

The funeral of Roy Hackett, the civil rights campaigner who was behind the Bristol Bus Boycott in the 1960s, has taken place.

A cortege passed through Bristol, starting at James Street this morning - a service was held in his memory at Elim/E5 Church, before he was taken to his final resting place at South Bristol Cemetery.

Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees was among those to pay tribute:

Roy, who died in August at the age of 93, helped organise a successful campaign to overturn the bar to employment of Black and Asian bus drivers and conductors by the Bristol Omnibus Company.

In 1963, people from across the city refused to use the company's services - the boycott lasted for four months until the firm eventually backed down.

With the support of then-local MP and cabinet minister Tony Benn, the campaign paved the way for the Race Relations Act of 1965.

There were tributes from across the city on his death, including LaToyah McAllister-Jones, Chief Executive of St Pauls Carnival, which Roy Hackett helped found, and MP Thangham Debonnaire

In 2020, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Bristol bus boycott, which led to historic change across the UK, "should be taught in every school".