Tribute has been paid to a well-regarded livestock haulage contractor who has died at the age of 80.

Ronnie Hume, of F W Hume & Son, was widely known and respected by East Anglia's livestock community and lived at Brome, near Eye.

He and brother, John, were the third generation to run the firm, but closed it in 2008 after they were unable to find a successor to the business, which was started by their grandfather, Frank, and uncle, Leslie, near Diss station.

Its fleet of 14 livestock lorries, resplendent in their brown and gold lettered livery, was well known in the region, said Bury St Edmunds pig consultant Peter Crichton, who delivered the eulogy at the packed funeral at St Mary's Church, Brome, earlier this month.

'Ronnie was certainly one of life's characters, and although he may be gone, he will certainly never be forgotten,' said Peter.

Ronnie worked for five years for the Gaze family at Palgrave. Ronnie's father, Stanley, and uncle Leslie took the business over in 1950 and in 1980 it was taken on by Ronnie, John and their brother-in-law Boysie Thompson. Ronnie's second wife, Peggy, held an HGV licence and was a valued member of the team. The business, which also hauled furniture, grew and moved to Denmark Street in 1960.

'The lorries were always tidy in their brown livery, and whilst not trying to compete with Eddie Stobart, the drivers had smart overalls and were proud of the work they carried out and the way in which their 'passengers' were cared for,' said Peter.

'Above all else, Ronnie loved his work and especially dealing with thriving livestock markets, which were so plentiful over the years, with Bury St Edmunds one of his favourites, as it was mine, providing the whole of the farming community with a huge and vibrant meeting place, somewhere to talk and make friends and do deals and in those far off days, there was a livestock market every day of the week apart from Sunday, with Wickham Market and Aylsham on Monday, Ipswich on Tuesday, Bury on Wednesday, Stowmarket on Thursday, Diss on Friday and Norwich on Saturday.'

After the death of his first wife, June, in 1987, Ronnie met Peggy the following year at Norwich Cattle Market. As well as Peggy, Ronnie leaves two children, Stephanie and Karl, and five grandchildren.