More than 500 people turned up to pay their last respects to one of Oxfordshire's tallest police officers, Roger Hedges, who passed away on April 16, aged 61.

Born on January 9, 1946, he grew up in the the family's Headington home in Glebelands Road.

At the age of 16 he left school to work for Lord Nuffield as an office clerk.

His sister, Anthea Bloomfield, said: "I remember that period very clearly, because Lord Nuffield would let Roger bring home the stamps from his envelopes, which I used to collect. Roger was very happy there, but decided he didn't want to work behind a desk."

After two years Mr Hedges joined the Army's Coldstream Guards - leaving home at the age of 18.

He spent nine years in the Army and travelled the world, fulfilling the ambition he had held from a young age as an Army Cadet in Headington.

On leaving the Army he went on to join the police and became known, at the heady height of 6ft 8in, as the tallest officer in the county.

His first assignment on joining the force was as a traffic officer working at the junction of Cornmarket Street and the High Street and Mrs Bloomfield said: "I think he was given the job because everyone in the cars could see him."

Mr Hedges remained in the traffic division of the police and worked out of several stations in Oxfordshire, including St Aldate's, Cowley and Bicester.

During his time in the police he became involved in the Trax Motor Project, working with young offenders and channelling their enthusiasm into legal activities.

His wife Sue said: "Roger used to go down in his uniform and give people advice and people respected him. He was an old style policeman and he would earn people's respect."

There was also another passion in Mr Hedges' life, American Football.

In the 1980s Mr Hedges became involved in the Oxford Bulldogs American Football team and went on to take charge of the team, before becoming its owner.

The team went on to change its name to the Oxford Saints and Mr Hedges was thrilled when, last year, they became the Britbowl Division Two champions, earning promotion to division one.

Mr Hedges retired from the police in 1996 because of a back injury but was soon apprehending criminals again as the head of security at a Tesco store in Swindon.

In 2004, Mr Hedges married his long-time partner, Sue, on Valentine's Day.

Having been married once before with two children, he now celebrated the addition of his wife's three children, and later two grandchildren.

Mrs Hedges said: "He was a gentle giant. He will be missed by everyone who knew him."