Funeral for World Cup hero Ball

The 61-year-old member of the victorious 1966 England squad was found dead at his home in Hook Lane, Warsash, Hants, last week.

He died of a heart attack while putting out a small fire which had broken out in a compost heap in his garden, according to his family.

The funeral service, which is to be a non-black tie event, will be held at Winchester Cathedral at 1pm.

Mourners at the funeral will be led by Ball's son Jimmy, 31, and daughters Mandy Byrne, 39, and Keely Allan, 35. Their mother, Ball's wife Lesley, died three years ago from cancer.

The family has requested no flowers but that any donations be made to the Bobby Moore Fund.

A Hampshire Police spokesman said the force is expecting thousands of people to pay their respects both inside the cathedral and in the grounds, where speakers will relay the service to the crowd.

Ball won 72 caps for his country in a 10-year career and he made a total of 743 League appearances for Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal and Southampton.

He later managed seven clubs including Manchester City, Southampton and Portsmouth during a career in the dugout which spanned 19 years.

A post-mortem examination showed that Ball died of natural causes.