KIND-HEARTED care home staff celebrated the life of one of their much-loved residents at a funeral service held at the home.

The staff and residents of The Lindsay Bupa care home in Lindsay Road, Poole, hosted a funeral service for John Windsor-Pleydell as he had lost contact with family and had few friends left alive after his wife, Annis, passed away a few years ago.

John developed a strong bond with the care home staff and regarded them as family.

The Lindsay is located on the grounds of the former Bridge Club, which is where the funeral service was held.

The Lindsay decided to hold the service at the home so that all staff and residents could attend and pay their respects, as they felt it was important for everyone to give John the goodbye he deserved.

John was brought to the care home in a horse and carriage, with staff carrying his coffin.

Both staff and residents celebrated celebrated John’s life and shared their fondest memories of him in a touching ceremony.

John had also served for several years in the RAF which had taken him all over the world.

Home Manager Claudia Carvell said John would be “dearly missed”.

“The idea of John having an empty funeral service was not one we were happy with, so we decided to have the service in the home surrounded by his newly-found family and friends.

“John will be dearly missed; his good humour and wit made an impact, whether big or small, on everyone he came into contact with,” she added.

The Lindsay opened in Branksome in April 2016.

The 62-bed care home is operated by Bupa.

The fifth floor of the Georgian-style building, which is located just off the County Gates Roundabout, offers individual rental apartments for older people to stay in, with residents also able to make use of a library, secure garden and quiet and communal lounges.

The care home employs more than 30 members of staff who provide  nursing, convalescence, respite, palliative and post-operative care care to the residents.