Private funeral held for Sir Nicholas Winton

Sir Nicholas Winton, the Maidenhead man who saved hundreds of children from Nazi persecution, was laid to rest at a private service yesterday.

Family and close friends gathered at Chilterns Crematorium for Sir Nicholas' funeral, followed by a reception at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts - a venue he often visited.

Sir Nicholas, who lived in Pinkneys Green, passed away earlier this month, aged 106.

In total, he helped smuggle 669 mostly Jewish children from the former Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War. He kept his actions a secret for decades.

The funeral was non-religious, in keeping with his philosophy, and included reflections on his life from his son Nick and daughter Barbara.

Anita Grosz, the daughter of Hanus Grosz, one of the children Sir Nicholas saved, also paid tribute, along with family friend Beth Powell and rotarian and chairman of the Abbeyfield (Maidenhead) Society, David Cager.

The service was concluded with a reading from one of Sir Nicholas' favourite passages from Hamlet by his grandson Laurence.

A public memorial service is planned for later in the year.