HUNDREDS of mourners attended the funeral of a popular Huddersfield police officer.

Nearly 300 people gathered at Huddersfield Crematorium yesterday to pay tribute to Pc Jon Hobman and many mourners had to stand outside.

The father-of-three died in his sleep of an unexplained brain haemorrhage at his Almondbury home on December 30.

A police car and motorcycle escorted his hearse to Huddersfield Crematorium in Fixby at 11.35am yesterday.

More than 20 of Pc Hobman’s uniformed colleagues formed a guard of honour as his coffin, draped in black, was taken into the chapel of remembrance.

Around 30 mourners stood outside the packed chapel as the service began with the song Who’s Gonna Drive You Home, by The Cars – a reference to Pc Hobman’s love of motoring. It was relayed on speakers to those outside.

Colleagues paid their tributes to the late officer, including Kirklees divisional commander Chief Supt John Robins, who read the poem If by Rudyard Kipling.

Mourners then heard a cover version of James Brown song It’s a Man’s Man’s World recorded by a band featuring Pc Hobman’s son Thomas.

A message was then read out from Pc Hobman’s next-door neighbour and best friend Andy Johnson, who recalled travelling around the country to motor auctions with the late officer.

Pc Hobman was born in Huddersfield in 1964 and grew up in Almondbury.

He attended Almondbury High School and Huddersfield New College and worked as a tree surgeon, builder and kitchen and bedroom fitter before applying to join the police in 1987.

He was accepted into the force in 1988, the same year he married Karen.

Pc Hobman worked on a number of well-known cases including the investigations into the murder of Bradford WPc Sharon Beshenivsky in 2005 and the killing of Polish student Tobias Minski in Slaithwaite two years later.

Most recently he had been stationed at Birkby Library working for the Huddersfield North Policing Team.

Pc Hobman was a qualified advanced driver and a former member of the Woodland Preservation Society, David Brown Motor Club and the Air Cadets.

He leaves behind Karen, mother Evelyn, sister Liz, daughters Steph, 27 and Jenna, 22, son Thomas, 20, and six-year-old grandson Arnie-Joe.