HUNDREDS of mourners gathered on Monday to pay their respects to Bradford rugby league player Harry Sykes, who died aged 16 last month.

Harry, who played amateur rugby for his local team Queensbury ARLFC, and was believed to be from the Clayton Heights area, died while on a trip to Carcassonne in southern France with Halifax Elite Rugby Academy.

He had been reported missing while on the trip and his body was recovered from a lake by police on Wednesday, September 5.

The funeral of the promising prop forward, who attended Lightcliffe Academy, was held at Park Wood Crematorium in Elland, with guests asked to wear rugby shirts or blue and white - the colours of Queensbury - at the service, with donations made to the Harry Sykes Fund set up by the RFL Benevolent Fund.

The money raised, currently standing at more than £750, will be used to support local young rugby league players.

Following the emotional service, a celebration of his life was held at Brighouse Sports Club.

His coffin was decorated in blue and white, with a rugby ball design of flowers on top, and a toy monkey alongside it in the hearse.

Speaking before the funeral, Harry’s father paid tribute to his son.

He said: “We are extremely grateful to all our family and friends for their support and the many messages from well-wishers and the rugby league community.

“Our house seems so quiet without Harry and we miss him more than words can describe.”

Following his death, minute’s silences were held across the country before rugby league games in memory of Harry, and on Sunday a minute’s applause was held before Queensbury U16s' game against West Leeds, the team's first match since Harry’s tragic death, which they won comfortably, with a 48-10 victory.

Harry was a “popular and well liked member of the school community”, his former school Lightcliffe Academy said in a statement following his death, and Ralph Rimmer, chief executive of the Rugby Football League, also paid his condolences to Harry’s family.