Hundreds of people are expected to pay their last respects to tragic Lucas Dobson when his funeral takes place today.

It will be at 12.30pm at St George's Church off Deal High Street.

The service is being held on what would have been the seventh birthday of the little boy who died after falling into the River Stour, in Sandwich.

Mourners are invited to wear red, his favourite colour.

Among them will be staff and families from Warden House Primary School in Deal, which Lucas attended.

Lucas' father, Nathan Dobson, last week announced details of the funeral.

He said it was "for everyone and anyone that would like to pay last respects to the little boy that brought so many people and so much love together."

Reflecting the mass public support for Lucas' family in this tragedy, £7,500 was raised for the funeral by Tuesday this week.

Lucas, of Deal, had fallen into the water on Saturday, August 17, while on a family fishing trip.

It lead to hundreds of local people joining emergency services in a five-day search for him.

He had been trying to step from a jetty onto a boat when he fell and was swept away by the current.

Three men, including his father, had dived into the water to try to save the boy but couldn't reach him.

Candlelit vigils were held in several coastal and inland towns and villages two days later as hopes remained that he might be found alive.

But on Wednesday, August 21, his body was found and recovered from the river, close to where he had fallen in.

More vigils were held in his memory in Deal and Margate two days afterwards.

An inquest opening on Monday, September 2, heard that, according to a post-mortem Lucas had died from immersion.

The hearing was adjourned until November 12.

Read more: All the latest news from Deal

Read more: All the latest news from Sandwich