I SAT in the pub with my half a lager in the company of Jim, Joner, Alan and Bob. Not my normal venue for a funeral visit.

And their story was far from normal as well.

Eddie had died. They had, at various stages been friends with Eddie, at school and in their early adult years.

They told tales of their first cars; of the parties they used to go to, and the various incidents that took place. And, as so often, they got married and went their separate ways.

Eddie himself got married and had children, and had various partners, but was estranged from them all. It seemed he liked the rock and roll life style, “only without the fame and the money” quipped one of his mates.

And so whilst his friends trod a more conventional path, Eddie took a different path.

But now “fast forward” 40 years or so. Three years ago the four friends got together again (the beauty of social media) and finally, after finding Eddie, who was a “rolling stone”, the old gang was back together again.

Perhaps not quite up to the antics they used to get up to, but re-formed once more.

Eddie became ill and ended up at St Richard’s Hospice. He died, and with no family to pay for his funeral, the council took over.

But who was there to plan his funeral after all these years? Jim, Joner, Alan and Bob.

And at the service, they were there with their wives and another school friend. It was a beautiful funeral, with laughs and tears; friendship and genuine love. And I was struck afterwards how lucky they were to have shared time together.

What would have happened if there had been no friends?

Well, he would have been cremated on his own. But as it was, with his friends around him, we paid our respects and left the crematorium with Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell ringing in our ears.

I said there, and I write it again now, how proud I was of these four men and their families. They went the extra mile and showed me the true value of friendship.