Flags of Hatton’s beloved Man City flying outside pubpublished at 09:45 BST

09:45 BST

Jonny Humphries
BBC News

Manchester City flags in memory of Hatton are flying outside the pub where the funeral cortege will begin its journey.

The procession is setting off from The Cheshire Cheese in Hyde at 09:45.

Manchester City flags with the name Ricky Hatton are flying outside a pub

Vanessa Stansfield, pictured right with friend Emily, has been selling blue flags all week with the proceeds being donated to the Men’s Club mental health charity.

She said: “He was a great boxer, icon, inspiration to so millions of people but to us he was just a local lad who had time for everyone.”

Vanessa Stansfield is standing next to her friend Emily outside the pub. She is wearing a blue T-shirt with a photograph of Ricky Hatton in the boxing ring

Phil Benson, pictured left with Kevin Burton, who works at the Cheshire Cheese pub, said Hatton always stayed “true to his roots”.

“As I was growing up – the same age as Ricky – he was my idol – proper boxer, proper lad, made it big and never changed himself,” he said.

“It’s why everyone loved him. He was just down to Earth”

He added that he was “his favourite boxer of all time”.

This is Phil Benson (left) and Kevin Burton (right) from Rock Academy gym in Doncaster are pictured outside the pub