A private funeral will take place today for Granada Reports presenter Tony Morris who passed away on August 1 at Bury Hospice.

Tony, who was 57, was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year and died on August 1.

His daughters, Natalie and Rebecca, were at his side.

Tony, who lived in Ramsbottom, was a familiar face on TV screens in the North West for 17 years when he presented ITV's Granada Reports.

ITV viewers paid tribute to Tony in an online Book of Condolence which has been shared with his family.

Meanwhile Bury Hospice have received generous donations and cards from the public, with nearly £13,000 given to the hospice in Tony's memory.

In a Tweet his former co-presented Lucy Meacock said: "Farewell to one of the best friends you could ever have in your corner, RIP Mozzer."

Tony joined BBC Northwest Tonight initially as a reporter for the flagship programme based in Manchester, later going on to present shorter bulletins, usually weekend bulletins and the regional bulletin following the BBC News at Ten.

For a brief period in his latter years with the BBC he worked as a reporter for the national news being based in London.

In 2003, Tony joined ITV Granada as the new male co-anchor alongside Lucy Meacock for Granada Reports following the departures of Antony Wilson and So Rahman.

He helped Granada Reports become the first regional news programme to win a BAFTA, presenting with Lucy the 2007 News Coverage winner about the Morecambe Bay Cockle Picking tragedy.

Prior to being a television journalist and news presenter, Tony, who was born in Hampshire, worked as a DJ and served in the RAF.