Mourners gathered at the home of a man beloved by the Gypsy, boxing and racing communities this morning prior to his funeral which is expected to be attended by several thousand people.

They came to pay their respects to Peter Matthews, 70, whose hearse, drawn by black horses, will go over the Downs where he put up fences for the Derby for 51 years.

To see a video of the procession see below

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Outside his home in Horton Hill, Epsom, a fire had been burning inside a brazier - an old Gypsy custom. One mourner described him as a “number one champ all round”.

As family and friends prepared his body to be carried out of the house his beloved dog Milo stood on a flatbed lorry bedecked with floral tributes.

The floral tributes spelt out the words champ, grandad, dad and uncle Pete and depicted horseshoes, racing pigeons and boxing gloves.

Members of his boxing club Rose Hill Amateur Boxing Club looked on wearing their club tracksuits and said he had been a father figure to countless people.

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One of the boxers Mr Matthews’ trained, Mabs Luzolo, said: "I feel like I knew him all my life. He was an absolute legend, brought out the best in people.

"It's someone who I had in my corner. I never felt more safe when I got in the ring, because it's a hard place. He always made you feel nothing was going to go wrong."

The family carried a basket of racing pigeons behind the horse-drawn carriage as the cortege left the house to go to Christ Church, Epsom Common for his funeral, scheduled for noon.

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Afterwards the hearse and two family cars will then go via West Hill, Ashley Road and the Grandstand roundabout to Epsom Downs Racecourse.

The horse-drawn carriage will travel alongside the course to the winning post as he wanted.

At about 1.30pm his racing pigeons will be released into the air as he is buried in Epsom Cemetery. A wake will then be held at the Blenheim Arms in Epsom.

Jane Jackson, who has been friends with Mr Matthews for 19 years, said: "He was my best friend and he knew the true meaning of loyalty.

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"He was always there for you, day or night, it didn't matter what it was. He was one of a kind. They don't make them like that anymore."

Ms Jackson used to live nearby, they kept horses together and their children went to the same school. She said: "You would have to have the kettle on if he was coming round. Always tea, two sugars."

After his death last month, his daughter Chanelle, 24, who was also his carer, said: "He was a very much-loved man, always helping others."

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Mr Matthews' biological father was Jasper Smith - a leading traveller whose own funeral brought Epsom to a standstill a number of years ago.

But he was actually brought up by a non-Gypsy man, Fred Matthews, who he called dad and loved very much.

His daughter said he has always been part of the racing community and devoted to his family including her own son Riley.

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She said: "Boxing was his life and boxing probably kept him going right up until he couldn’t go anymore.

“Pigeons were his hobby, he loved them. He loved his horses."

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