The funeral of John Sutcliffe -- father of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe -- took place at Oakworth on Tuesday.

John Sutcliffe died in the Manorlands Sue Ryder hospice at Oxenhope last Friday, aged 81.

His son, the notorious serial killer, was jailed for life in 1981 and is serving his sentence at Broadmoor top security hospital.

A small huddle of reporters and photographers had gathered outside Oakworth Crematorium from early in the day in the hope of catching sight of Sutcliffe, who has not been seen in public for 23 years, but there was no sign of him.

A Home Office spokesman refused to confirm or deny whether Sutcliffe had been allowed to attend the funeral.

He said: "We will not comment on individual cases, but prisoners can apply for compassionate leave to attend funerals.

"Careful consideration has to be given to these applications and risk assessments are conducted before a decision can be made."

Four police officers stood near the entrance to the crematorium throughout the short service.

Peter Sutcliffe -- whose father lived at Bingley -- was jailed for life after an Old Bailey trial where he was found guilty of the murders of 13 women and the attempted murders of seven others, carried out during a six-year reign of terror from 1975.

The Bradford lorry driver lived with his wife Sonia, in a detached house in Garden Lane, Heaton, and, at times, detectives were tantalisingly close to catching him during what was then the biggest manhunt in British police history.

Sutcliffe's killing spree began in Leeds, where the mutilated body of Wilma McCann was discovered in a field. His attacks stretched from Bradford and Keighley to Manchester and Halifax, and one of his victims was killed only 500 yards away from Bradford police headquarters in the city centre.