WARRINGTON said goodbye to a beloved legend today, as a memorial service was held for Peter McLean.

The service was very well attended, with some needing to stand at the back due to the pews being full.

Holy Trinity Church hosted the service in which clergy members and friends of Peter spoke, and his life was remembered.

To begin proceedings, a few words were said before a rendition of Cat Stevens’ ‘Morning Has Broken’ was sung. The church sang along in full voice and many eyes teared up at this song, and throughout the service.

After a few poignant bible verses were read out, friends of Pete began to speak, with speakers calling him a “legend”, “diamond of a man”, and a “kind man.”

In a beautiful speech in which she spoke about the strength it takes to commit to being countercultural, a vicar asked the question: “did he realise the good he was doing when he allowed folk to help him?”

A woman named Sue spoke fondly of Peter, saying he “made few demands of people, and few demands of life.”

Warrington Guardian:

Another woman spoke, talking of how he had lived in her garage for two years.

Peter had been good friends with her son who he called “my little mate”, who always ran to tell him that his Mum had made him tea and offering to wash his clothes.

When her son died at the age of just eight, she spoke of how Peter gave the family a small bible his own mother had gifted to him.

Through tears, she went on to talk about how he had spent two weeks sleeping next to her son’s grave because “he didn’t want his little mate to be alone.”

Peter died in November aged just 50.