VIDEO: Celebrity friends and family pay respects at horror author’s funeral

JPCT 050413 S13150125x Henfield. St peter's church. Funeral of author James Herbert -photo by Steve Cobb

A touching eulogy was delivered by his brother, John and close friend Bob Young (Status Quo).

Reverend Seamus Mathon led the service and referred to Mr Herbert as an ‘amazing writer’ and ‘ devoted husband, father and friend’.

The successful horror author died peacefully at his home in Woodmancote on March 20.

His book debut, The Rats, was published by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd in 1974, engrossing readers in a world plagued by giant rats with a thirst for human flesh.

Selling 100,000 copies in the first three weeks, Mr Herbert unwittingly propelled a 38 year career in the macabre that would span 26 books and spawn various film and TV adaptations, including the most recent, The Secret of Crickley Hall, aired earlier this year by the BBC.

Read the full feature on Mr Herbert’s funeral and see a glimpse into the proceedings and celebrity guests in this week’s County Times out Thursday, April 11.