RED replaced black at the funeral of a teenage rugby and cricket enthusiast from Brimfield.

The funeral of 17-year-old Ben Braggins was held at St Mary’s Church in Tenbury last Thursday (February 26) with a private cremation the following day.

St Mary’s was packed out with hundreds of mourners resulting in some having to stand. The family requested that no black was to be worn.

Ben’s father Iain is the chairman of Ludlow Rugby Football Club and a lot of people wore red rugby tops with BEN on the back, while others wore Ludlow Cricket Club sweaters.

A parade of tractors made a procession through Tenbury as a tribute and following the service mourners were invited back to the Rose and Crown.

Sports mad Ben, who was a vice-president at Ludlow Rugby Club, was prevented by illness from fulfilling his potential as a sportsman and spent much of his life in hospital.

Ben underwent his first kidney transplant in 1999 but the operation was unsuccessful and he ended up having hours of dialysis treatment at home administered by dad Iain and mum Dawn.

A second transplant in October 2004 gave Ben a new lease of life and he developed a love of cricket, golf and pool, as well as rugby.

In 2009 Ben received a signed England rugby shirt.

Nick Abendanon, who played for Bath Rugby and won England caps, heard about Ben and wanted to do something for him.

The first Ben knew about it was when the shirt arrived at his parents’ home in Brimfield, accompanied by a signed programme and a letter.

Featuring the signatures of stars such as Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Catt, Jason Robinson and more, the shirt had pride of place in Ben’s home.

In the letter, Nick talked of the tough routines and training sessions England’s top rugby players are put through, but said “what we go through is nothing compared to what you have suffered”.

He also says how inspired he has been by Ben and told him: “I shall think of you when faced with adversity.”