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Hibs fans pay tribute to ex-owner Sir Tom Farmer

PA Media A silver hearse with the coffin of Sir Tom Farmer drives past supporters gathered outside Easter Road Stadium in EdinburghPA Media
People gathered outside Easter Road Stadium to pay tribute to Sir Tom Farmer

Hundreds of Hibernian fans paid tribute to Kwik Fit founder and former club owner Sir Tom Farmer as his coffin passed Easter Road Stadium.

The Edinburgh-born businessman died peacefully at his home in the city earlier this month at the age of 84.

Sir Tom owned a majority stake in Hibernian FC for 28 years and built Kwik Fit into the world's biggest independent tyre and automotive chain before selling it to Ford for £1bn in 1999.

Following a private family funeral the cortege drove past Hibernian's stadium and through the streets of Sir Tom's native Leith.

SNS Sir Tom Farmer standing in a football stand. He is wearing a greay coat and grey shirt and tieSNS
Sir Tom is credited with securing Hibs' future when he took over the club in the 1990s

Sir Tom was born in Leith in 1940 and first opened a tyre business in 1964.

He started Kwik Fit in 1971, eventually operating in more than 2,000 locations in 18 countries.

He was knighted in 1997 for his services to the automotive industry and was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 2009 for his charitable work.

Sir Tom's philanthropic work saw him awarded the Carnegie Medal and he became a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, an honour bestowed by the Pope, in 1997.

A woman in a blue jacket and green scarf holding up a dog in her arms towards the camera
Jean Campbell said she was there to acknowledge all that Sir Tom did for Hibernian

Hibs supporter Jean Campbell said: "As a lifelong Hibs fan I was here when the Hands off Hibs campaign was on and it was a very difficult time for the club.

"Sir Tom Farmer came in and basically helped us at a really, really difficult time.

"He didn't have to do that, he's not a football man, but he's a proud Leither and I believe he did it for the community."

Fellow fan Beth Donaldson said: "I came along because we owe him an awful lot for what he did for the club."

PA Media Footballers from Hibernian FC stand in a line clapping during a minute's applause with a picture of Sir Tom Farmer on a big screen behind himPA Media
Tributes were also made to Sir Tom at Hibernian's last home fixture earlier this month