A man believed to have been Chelsea 's oldest fan was led to his final resting place by horses sporting the club colours.

Fred Cuddeford, of Isleworth , was the 27th oldest man in Britain before his death on July 24 this year - three months before he was due to turn 107.

He was a devoted Chelsea supporter and although he found it difficult to attend games at Stamford Bridge because he was deaf, he would always cheer them on from his armchair.

Such was his affection for the club, he was buried with his Chelsea cushion, and the horses leading his hearse were decorated with blue plumes.

"He was a big Chelsea fan and was thrilled to make it into the club magazine when he turned 100, so I think he would have appreciated having the club colours at his funeral," said his son Freddie Cuddeford.

Fred Cuddeford's hearse was drawn by horses wearing the Chelsea blue

"He was the 27th oldest man in Britain when he died, and we're pretty sure he was the oldest Chelsea fan."

Mr Cuddeford's funeral took place at Hanworth Crematorium on August 19 and he was buried at Borough Cemetery in nearby Powder Mill Lane, Whitton .

More than 100 people attended his wake, which was held at The Winning Post in Chertsey Road, Twickenham .

Trampled by horse and cart aged five

Mr Cuddeford was born in 1909 - just four years after Chelsea were founded.

He grew up in Fulham , where he was trampled by a horse and cart while playing in the street and lost his hearing aged five.

The earliest photo of Fred Cuddeford, who was born on October 21, 1909

He had two sons with his first wife Mabel Hubbard, though their second child Bobbie died when he was just 10.

After Mabel's death, he married Eleanor Pusey, known as Lois, who passed away a few months before he reached his century.

He worked for three decades at Spring Grove Services launderette in Osterley and was passionate about cars and model trains, along with Chelsea.

Late life celebrity and alcoholic elixir of youth

He left it late to achieve a small degree of celebrity, appearing in a war documentary on the Community Channel shortly before his 105th birthday and later making it onto BBC news when he spoke out against the closure of the UK's first purpose-built deaf church.

He was a regular at Acton Deaf Club and campaigned vociferously for deaf people's rights.

Fred Cuddeford celebrating his 105th birthday with his son Freddie and (back row) family friends Terry Weaver, Shirley Weaver and Veronica Harris

"I'm very proud of Dad. From his humble beginnings, he did a lot to support the deaf community, especially in his later years. He was a very caring person and a real family man," said Freddie.

He was partial to a tot of whisky at weekends, which he drank with Guinness and later ginger ale - his unconventional elixir of youth - and a bottle of the spirit was placed in his coffin.