British landmarks light up in memory of national hero Captain Sir Tom Moore

3 February 2021, 09:34 | Updated: 3 February 2021, 09:53

British landmarks were lit up on Tuesday night in honour of fundraising hero Captain Sir Tom Moore after his death aged 100.

Red, white and blue lights beamed from the London Eye, Wembley Stadium and Blackpool Tower in memory of the man who has inspired so many.

At Wembley, a banner with Capt Sir Tom’s name and date of birth and death was also lit up above the main doors, between photos of the war veteran and national treasure.

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The stadium's social media team tweeted a picture and wrote: "Tonight, Wembley Stadium joins the nation in remembering and celebrating the life and achievements of @captaintommoore”.

A tribute was broadcast on the billboard lights at Piccadilly Circus, while the flag above 10 Downing Street was flown at half-mast.

At the gate to his family home in the village of Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, floral tributes were laid as neighbours described him as "a legend, inspiring, a hero".

Capt Sir Tom died in Bedford Hospital on Tuesday morning after testing positive for Covid-19.

His family said the last year of his life was "nothing short of remarkable" and that he had "experienced things he'd only ever dreamed of".

He had been taken to hospital on Sunday after being treated for pneumonia for some time and testing positive for coronavirus last week.

His family praised the care he had received from the NHS and said they had been able to spend time with him in his final hours.

In a statement, his daughters Hannah Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira said: "We are so grateful that we were with him during the last hours of his life; Hannah, Benjie and Georgia by his bedside and Lucy on FaceTime.

"We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother. We shared laughter and tears together."

They added: "Whilst he'd been in so many hearts for just a short time, he was an incredible father and grandfather, and he will stay alive in our hearts forever."

Capt Sir Tom's fundraising efforts raised more than £32 million for the NHS, walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday during the first national lockdown in April.

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The veteran set out to raise £1,000 from his charity challenge but his efforts struck a chord with the nation, and praise and donations flooded in.

He raised a total of £32.7 million, with donations from 1.5 million supporters, before his fundraising page was closed at midnight following his 100th birthday on April 30.

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Capt Sir Tom started his challenge a little over three weeks earlier, and encouraged people to continue to donate to NHS Charities Together.

In acknowledgement of his efforts, he was knighted by the Queen during a unique open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle in summer 2020.

Capt Sir Tom rounded off 2020 with a trip to Barbados with his family, and his fundraising efforts were marked during the new year drone display in London, as his figure appeared over the O2 Arena.