The centre of Melksham came to a standstill as PC Daniel Cooper’s coffin was taken to the town’s church, accompanied by six police motorbike escorts, on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old PC from Beanacre, a former Corsham School pupil, died en route to the scene of an accident after his patrol car was in collision with a tree in Westwood Road, near Bradford on Avon at about 8pm on February 1.

He had served for three years at Trowbridge police station in Polebarn Road after working for a year as a special constable in Corsham.

His funeral service, which took place at St Michael’s Church, was packed with mourners, including up to 100 serving police officers in uniform who flanked both sides of the walkway as his coffin was carried in, with his father Andrew, mother Heather and 18-year-old brother Ollie close behind.

PC Cooper’s coffin bore four family floral wreaths and one from the officers on his team at work, as well as his police helmet.

His father Andrew, speaking on behalf of his family, said: “We would really like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and messages. We would especially like to thank the Chief Constable and Wiltshire Police for all their support over this very difficult time for our family. Dan was a modest young man and he would have been overwhelmed by how highly he was regarded by everyone. We always knew that he was a special young man.”

The Rev John Darling, who led the service, said: “Being a police funeral with full honours there were a huge amount of people in uniform there and it was bigger than most services.

“The service was standing room only and most of the guard of honour stood around the church after filing in .

“As well as the tributes read out, there was also laughter around the church which was nice because Dan was such a fun, loving guy and I think a totally sombre mood would have been unfitting for the type of person he was.

“Tributes were read out by the chief constable, who was very relaxed, and I think that also showed the sort of person Dan was as he also put people at ease himself.

“One thing the family had asked, which I think was very well represented, was that people dress smartly, as Dan was so impeccably turned out himself, and that was nicely upheld.”

The car parks around Melksham town centre overflowed with mourners’ vehicles, causing queues before and after the service, as around 300 people came to pay their respects.

Coaches were organised by Wiltshire Police to transport large groups of officers to the service, to make sure everyone who wanted to could attend.

Chief Constable Brian Moore described PC Cooper as ‘an outstanding young man’ as he left the church.

He also read a tribute during the service, saying: “By any measure Dan Cooper was a very good Police Constable who even in his short career made a great difference to the lives of people in Trowbridge.

“He was a very popular officer with his public and his colleagues and we will really miss him.”

Also at the service was Teresa Sugden, a major crime investigator working with the major investigation team, based at Marlborough. She was one of eight bellringers at the church on behalf of the National Guild of Police Ringers, who rang the church bells until the hearse bearing PC Cooper’s coffin arrived.

She said: “We are all local ringers. I was the only one from Wiltshire Police, but we had another from Thames Valley force and the other ringers were from the local area.

“We offered our services to the family and they accepted through the vicar. I did not know Dan personally, but it is clear from the tributes what a great guy he was.”

Songs played during the service included the Braveheart themetune and music from Top Gun as well as the song Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

The funeral service was followed by a private burial at St Barnabas’ Church in Beanacre and a reception at Beechfield House for the PC’s family, friends and colleagues.