Tributes pour in for Paul O'Grady from his local community as legendary broadcaster is laid to rest - 'Wonderful man'

One of the first people to arrive was Lynn Heathfield, who travelled in the early hours from Sittingbourne. She wanted to pay her respects as a fan but also a fellow dog lover.

“Paul O’Grady done a fantastic job for the community and Battersea. He was a wonderful man. I’ve actually got three rescue dogs and I lost my husband last year.

“I just think it’s a nice kindness of respect to be here today to show how appreciated that the man was. He just lifted everybody, he was a lovely man and I think he deserves a terrific send off with everybody here.”

Among the hundreds of people who came to see the profession was Deborah Fisher, who first met Paul when she worked at the Parkside Volvo Garage in Orpington.

She says they struck up a friendship as they both had a love of dogs. Last summer they met again at the summer fete, adding “Our paths have always crossed regarding rescue dogs. I felt it was important today to bring my six dogs with me and just to come and support Paul and his family.

The local owner of the Aldington Post Office Muttukumarasamy Skandakumar has been serving Mr O’Grady for years. He saw him a week before he died.

He described him as a “Very friendly, very caring person and he’s going to be a very great loss for this village especially. He has done quite a lot for the school and the community and everybody else.

This week his husband Andre Portasio posted in local Facebook groups, expressing his “deepest gratitude” for the “overwhelming outpouring of support and love I have received since passing of our beloved Paul O’Grady”.

He added that the TV star “cared a lot about his local community” and, therefore a funeral procession will pass through Aldington before heading to the church “as a way of marking Paul’s affection for the area.

O’Grady lived in Aldington, near Ashford, for more than 20 years and was a well-known figure in he village.

He achieved success in the London gay scene during the 1980s with his drag persona Lily Savage. He then dropped the persona and went onto have a very successful career in television and radio.

According to locals, he attended summer fetes, supported the primary school and last year judged a local dog show held on the village green.

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