Hundreds of people turned out for the funeral of a Bristol tattoo artist known around the world for his work.

Dave Ayres, 43, of Speedwell, was killed in a motorbike accident in Lodge Causeway, Fishponds, last month.

Family, friends and well wishers paid tribute at his farewell service at Holy Trinity Church in High Street, Kingswood on Friday.

The funeral procession began at the Black Horse pub further up the high street and was led by dozens of motorbikes.

People lined the streets and passers by looked on in amazement as the noisy convoy moved down the road to the church.

Police closed part of the road to traffic to allow the bikers through.

The Lynyrd Skynyrd rock song "Freebird" played as the coffin was brought into the church, carried by friends bearing tattoos on their forearms.

The service was held by the Rev Peter Hussey, who began by reading a tribute from Dave's parents Henry and Joyce.

It read: "He was a very happy child, plus mischievous with it.

"He loved a good life, he was always laughing and always ready to help other people but his wife and children always came first.

"He was and always will be one in a million, he will never be forgotten by his family.

"He loved music, tattooing, bikes and big American cars. He won awards all over the world.

"You can see how many lives Dave has touched just by looking around."

Dave's widow Anna also spoke, and told the congregation they had been together through ups and downs and thick and thin.

She said: "People talk about how you were larger than life, but to me you were a simple man who loved his family and his homelife.

"You always told me it's going to be alright and now it's my turn."

She also read out a tribute written by their four children, Charlie, 14, Daisy, 10, Rosie, eight, and Olly, four.

It said: " Our dad, we miss you more than we can say, we will never forget you."

Their children's words received a huge round of applause from the audience.

The final tribute was paid by Clive Metti, a long time friend of Daves and with whom he ran Skin Deep.

Clive said: "Dave did more in 10 minutes than most people did in a lifetime.

"Everything he wanted to achieve in life he did.

"He had a full and wonderful life, he was a very generous guy.

"He had done well for himself but others were not so fortunate, so if you were skint he'd pay for you to get into a gig. He wouldn't expect the money back.

"He wanted the Skin Deep Bristol name to go around the world and it did.

“I can’t come close to honouring the guy in words.”

Two poems friends had written about Dave after his death were read out and the Lord's Prayer followed the tributes.

The coffin was carried out of the church to the sound of a rockabilly song "You can't keep a good man down", and a thunderous ovation from the assembly.

Back on their bikes outside the church, engines were revved as loudly as possible as a mark of respect before the procession continued on to Mangotsfield cemetery in Downend.

You can pay your own tribute to Dave Ayres at Lasting Tribute.