THE funeral of popular Isle of Wight firefighter Trevor Moyce was held today (Friday) at Newport Minster.

Trevor lost his battle with motor neurone disease earlier this month and tributes poured in from his friends and colleagues.

Firefighters from across the Isle of Wight paid their respects at the funeral in Newport this afternoon.

Trevor, 55, of Wootton, was known as a diligent and committed firefighters and a dedicated family man who never gave up in his fight against the disease.

Trevor spent 30 years in the fire service, working his way up to station manager.

When he retired in 2016, he had many plans for life after the service, but just months after retirement, he received the devastating news.

Motor neurone disease is a rare degenerative disease with no cure.

Outspoken about the disease on Twitter, Trevor said in September: “The man I see in the mirror is not the man inside my head.”

“He never gave up in his fight against motor neurone disease,” his wife, Louise, said.

As his condition deteriorated, he refused to give in to the disease.

When he was rushed to hospital in October last year, his family were advised to switch off life support, but they pressed for a tracheotomy to be performed because Trevor was always clear about his desire never to give up.

He was inspired by the likes of Stephen Hawking and film maker Simon Fitzmaurice, who battled the disease and continued with life.

As a result of this invasive procedure, he lived on for more than a year.

Towards the end of his life, he had two carers with him night and day, and a room in his home was converted into an intensive care unit.

He communicated using eyegaze technology and even with that limitation was clear in his desire to battle on.

“He didn’t want to be known for the disease,” daughter Daisy Reed said. “He wanted us to tell people the kind of man he was.”

Louise said: “He was an amazing husband, so kind and caring. He would do anything for you.

“His children were his world. He was a real family man, totally dedicated.

“The fire service meant so much to him. He would turn up at incidents even when he wasn’t called out.

“Whether he was on duty or off, he was always there.”

A good example of this was when he was in his car on a lunch break and passed the scene of a car crash. He got the man, a Newport bank manager, out of his car and saved his life.

The man got in touch with Trevor’s family to recount the story after hearing about his diagnosis.

Since the diagnosis, a fundraiser was launched by his two older daughters, Holly and Daisy, to raise money for conversions to his home as his condition deteriorated.

This was picked up enthusiastically by firefighters across the Island who raised money for materials and carried out the manual labour themselves.

Trevor leaves his wife Louise, children Holly, Daisy, Phoebe and Tobias, grandchildren Isla and Jacob, sister Karen Moyce, nephews Jermaine and Lloyd Moyce, and mother Vera Moyce.

His family said: “He is a massive part of our lives and he will be missed so much.”