The day's events in Coniston began with a moving journey for six pall bearers and younger members of the Campbell family, as Donald Campbell's body was taken from Pier Cottage across Coniston Water and over the place where the speed hero's fatal accident occurred in 1967.

The boat, supplied by Coniston Launch, returned slowly to the shore while a piper played a lament, and the coffin, draped in a Union flag, was transferred to a horse-drawn carriage.

Around 1,000 people lined the streets as the cortge made its way to the church.

Campbell's nephews Don Wales, and PJ and Malcolm Hulme, were joined by Bluebird Team members Bill Smith, Carl Spencer and Graham Woodfine, as pall bearers.

While the church service got under way, a simultaneous service took place over the crash site on board two Coniston Launch boats.

The Rural Dean of Furness, Canon Danny Sanderson, led 60 mourners.

Coniston Launch owner Gordon Hall, who supplied the boats free of charge, said he hoped they had done Donald Campbell proud.

Inside the church, K7 speed club member Jim Noone, who is currently the fastest Britain on water after Donald Campbell, had travelled from Bradford with his partner, Alison Whalley, also a K7 member and secretary and treasurer of the Windermere Records Week committee.

Other mourners included the vicar of Heversham and Milnthorpe, Canon John Hancock, who had been vicar in Coniston in 1967 and conducted the original memorial service for Campbell.

He recalled a very friendly man, whose death had stunned the village.

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, whose famous Hampshire motor museum includes two Bluebird cars, said he would not have missed the funeral 'for anything'.

Andrew Irvine of Stonecraft Design of Bowness made the temporary headstone on Campbell's grave and is working on a permanent design to incorporate the K7 boat.

He described the job as an honour.

Steve Hogarth of the band Marillion, who sang at the service, said he had also been 'very, very honoured'.

Also present were Mike Rossiter, the director of the BBC documentary about the recovery of Bluebird; Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, James Cropper; Lord Mishcon of solicitors Mishcon de Reya; and Ken Norris, Bluebird's designer.

Robbie Robinson said: "It was a huge tribute to see so many people who had turned up in spite of the awful weather, and they were prepared to stand outside and get absolutely soaking wet just so they could pay their respects to this man who many of them might not even have known."

Donald Campbell's grave was placed near that of his old friend, Mr Robinson's mother, Connie.

An RAF flypast had to be abandoned because of the adverse weather.