Hatton's army of fans lines streets in emotional farewell

Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Manchester yesterday to pay tribute to Ricky Hatton, the former world champion boxer who died last month aged 46.

- Raphael Boyd

Hatton was one of the most respected and adored sportsmen of his generation, able to tempt thousands of fans across the Atlantic to the US for his fights against the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

His death at home on 14 September was mourned throughout the world, with a minute's silence held during the Manchester football derby that was played later that day.

Hatton's funeral cortege wound its way through Manchester, with a sea of mourners clapping loudly at every stop and turn on its two-hour route.

The procession began a stone's throw from his home at the Cheshire Cheese in Hyde, his favourite pub, where he was a regular, before continuing towards Manchester Cathedral. Along the way it stopped at sites such as the Harehill Tavern, another favourite of Hatton's, where a mural was unveiled, as well as his gym.