“Iron” Mike Towell:

Boxing figures and the City of Discovery do fallen fighter proud in packed service at St Andrew’s Cathedral

Hundreds gather in Dundee’s St Andrew’s Cathedral as city says farewell to tragic boxer.

Friends and family of Mike Towell vowed to keep his legend alive as the Dundee boxer was laid to rest yesterday.

Hundreds of mourners filled the city’s St Andrew’s Cathedral to pay their last respects to the 25-year-old sportsman, who died after a bout in Glasgow last month.

A hearse carrying the fallen fighter drew up outside the church with flowers alongside the coffin arranged to spell out Iron Mike.

Other floral tributes said “Mike” and “Daddy”.

Dale Evans, Towell’s opponent in his final match, was present at the service and later posed for a touching picture next to graffiti art painted in the late boxer’s honour.

Figures from across the boxing fraternity attended while friends and members of his club arrived wearing white T-shirts with a picture of Towell celebrating a win on them and “Iron Mike Towell” written on the back.

Others wore hoodies with messages such as “Dundee’s Champ”, “Team Towell” and “The Legend Lives On”.

A series of hymns were played within the cathedral, while music by Oasis was selected to be played at Birkhill Cemetery, where he was laid to rest.

Among those present at the service was Lochee councillor Tam Ferguson.

He said: “The whole service was perfectly fitting.

“It was brilliantly attended and some of the anecdotes were hilarious.

“I’m in and out of that cathedral all the time and that is the biggest crowd I have seen for years.

“The whole of the upper gallery was full and it was standing room only at the back.

“The service was really well presented and was well received by the family and public.”

Scores of people could be seen leaving the cathedral for a quarter of an hour following the service.

Police stopped traffic as a convoy of cars left the site for Birkhill Cemetery.

Towell is survived by his partner Chloe Ross and two-year-old son Rocco.

A concert in the boxer’s memory has been arranged for October 22. All proceeds will go to his family. An online fundraising appeal set up by former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton raised more than £46,000 in aid of Towell’s relatives.

Pictures: PA. Clockwise from right: Boxers Nick Blackwell, left, and an emotional Dale Evans, centre, arrive for the funeral at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Dundee, pall-bearers with the coffin, and Mike Towell posing in a promotional shot.

Mourners in specially branded hoodies make their way into the cathedral.