A funeral service for the President of Hampton & Richmond Borough FC will be held on the club’s pitch next week.

Alan Simpson OBE, a comedy scriptwriter who first accepted the position of Honourary President of the club back in 1967, passed away after an illness at the age of 87 on Sunday, February 12.

His funeral will be held on Monday, February 27. The day will begin with a horse and carriage procession leaving his cottage at 12 noon and travelling via Percy Road and down Station Road to finish at The Beveree at Hampton & Richmond Borough Football Club in Beaver Close.

This Is Local London:

Ray Galton and Alan Simpson wrote Hancocks Half Hour. (l-r) Ray Galton, Harry Medawar and Alan Simpson

A farewell ceremony will be conducted on the football pitch by the Reverend Martin Morgan at 12.45pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend, but are advised to arrive by 12.15pm at the latest as no seating or parking can be guaranteed.

After this, a private graveside burial will take place attended only by Mr Simpson’s family and his script writing partner, Ray Galton.

The club have asked anyone wishing to make a donation to charity in memory of Alan to write a cheque payable to either the British Lung Foundation, The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation or Age UK.

Cheques should be posted to Boast & Son, 36 Eastworth Road, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 8DW.