The father of 10-year-old Katy Dean, who desperately needs a liver transplant, has died.

Kevin Dean, 43, from Park North, died suddenly of bronchial pneumonia.

And Katy led the funeral cortege at Kingsdown Crematorium, where more than 200 people paid tribute to his life.

His wife Tina, 37, said: "He called everyone 'sweet pea' and was a brilliant family man. His only dream was to get his daughter better and now we must go through it alone."

A horse-drawn hearse carried the coffin from the Bulldog pub in Walcot, which is run by Kevin's brother, Geoff.

Geoff, 52, said: "We are devastated by the loss but will pull through it together. The Dean family are fighters and we will get Katy well again."

The Advertiser has followed Katy's plight as she awaits a liver transplant. Currently on the waiting list, the yellowing of her skin testifies to the urgency of the operation.

"Katy has some hospital appointments in London this June," said Geoff. "Kevin was always the backbone on these visits, so the news hasn't really sunk in yet."

Kevin's sons, James, 20, Billy, 12, and Chad, 21, were pallbearers at the service.

James, 20, said: "We are all going through it together. Kevin would not want us moping about. He would want us to party so we are giving him a big send-off."

His sister, Gail Butler, 44, from Essex, was also among the mourners. She said: "We miss him dearly and feel robbed."

His niece Sam Plumb, 27, from Park North, echoed her tribute.

She said: "You cannot put it into words. He was so great with kids. Mine loved him to pieces. It is shattering."

Celebrating Kevin's sense of fun, a disco and karaoke in the Bulldog followed the service.

Since her birth, Katy has endured many operations. At two weeks old, she had a 12-hour operation to remove a cyst underneath her liver, which threatened to infect her body with toxins. The operation was hailed a success.

But an operation two years later to inflate a narrowed valve in her heart revealed her liver was abnormally enlarged. This marked the start of procedures to unblock her congested liver.

In 1996, the organ was fitted with a device called a roux loop, which enables surgeons to minimise scarring by using keyhole surgery.

Last November doctors broke the news that Katy needs a new liver if she is to survive into adulthood. Every day Katy takes nine doses of medication which do the same job as the liver.

The strain of her illness was made almost unbearable when Kevin and Tina found out that they had been ruled out as possible donors.

Tina said: "It was heartbreaking and Kevin felt so powerless. We will always love him and he will always be with us."