Family, friends, fellow performers and fans of veteran comic Jimmy Cricket have gathered for his funeral.

The Northern Ireland-born comedian, real name James Joseph Mulgrew, died on 3 August aged 80.

Many mourners at Salford Cathedral responded to his family's request to wear bow ties in a nod to one of his props, while his trademark stage wellies and bowler hat were placed at the cathedral entrance next to a book of condolence.

The requiem Mass was led by his son Fr Frankiel Mulgrew, who is based at the cathedral.

The comedian, who was born in Cookstown, County Tyrone but later moved to Greater Manchester, became a household name in the 1970s.

Among the veteran comedians attending his funeral were Catchphrase host Roy Walker, Crackerjack presenter Stu Francis, Freddie "Parrot face" Davies and Syd Little, half of comedy act Little and Large.

The star's daughter Katie, who is also a stand-up comic, explained the bow-tie request.

"I made a joke and said, 'shall we wear bow ties?' and now my mum is even wearing part of his stage costume," she said.

Katie added: "We are heartbroken but he was pure joy and we just wanted to tip our bow ties to him."

His son Fr Mulgrew made mourners laugh at the start of the funeral: "For 10 years I was dad's road manager so I have seen him die before and rise again."

He added: "When I entered seminary he said he was willing to sacrifice having grandchildren so it's worked pretty well for him as he got a Papal Knightood and a cheap funeral."

John Linehan, a fellow Northern Irish comedian, who performed with Jimmy Cricket in pantomime in Belfast, said he was "superb gentleman, very funny and unvelievably brilliant".

The father-of-four left school at 16 and spent his summers working as Redcoat camp host at Butlins holiday camps.

He went on to work the comedy club scene throughout the 1970s and 1980s, going on to win LWT's Search for a Star talent contest before getting his own ITV show, And There's More, which ran for four seasons.

However his son Fr Mulgrew told BBC Radio Manchester his father was joking to the end of his life, even singing a Monty Python song.

"He was in hospital and called us close to him and we wondered what he would say and he started singing Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life,'" the priest said.

Fr Mulgrew added the funeral would be followed by an "open mic" wake, where people could sing and tell jokes.