Dame Barbara Windsor’s husband has been joined by close friends and family at a private funeral for the beloved actress, with flowers spelling out Babs, The Dame and Saucy adorning her coffin.

Scott Mitchell, who was married to Dame Barbara for 20 years, led the funeral procession at a ceremony held at Golders Green Crematorium in London.

Also in attendance at the funeral, which has reduced attendees in accordance with Government coronavirus restrictions, was actor Ross Kemp, who played Dame Barbara’s on-screen son in EastEnders, as well as her close friends Christopher Biggins and comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

The actress, known for her work in the Carry On films and EastEnders, died in December at the age of 83.

She had suffered from dementia.

Kemp, Biggins and Anna Karen will all be paying tribute to Dame Barbara during the service.

She and her husband have been widely praised for their work raising awareness of the illness after the actress went public with her diagnosis in 2018.

Mr Mitchell arrived at the crematorium in the first funeral car, ahead of a car containing his mother Rita Mitchell, who introduced the couple, and his sister Marsha and brother-in-law Laurence, who make up his Covid bubble.

Large floral tributes to Dame Barbara adorned the coffin, with a red and white display spelling the words Babs, The Dame and Saucy.

A JustGiving page set up as a tribute to Dame Barbara and in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK has raised more than £145,000, reaching more than £150,000 with Gift Aid, and people have the option of donating in lieu of flowers.

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/DameBarbara.