THE funeral of a well-known Hampshire businessman will take place tomorrow.

A fleet of buses will take to the streets as a mark of respect to Don Beresford, who owned the A2B Express Travel firm.

Mourners will gather on Thursday to pay their respects to the popular grandfather of four who passed away following a battle with cancer.

He was 72.

Born and raised in Southampton, Mr Beresford first made the headlines with his birth, when in November 1941 he become the smallest baby to be born at Lyndhurst Hospital weighing in at just 2lbs.

He was also a talented runner, representing the city in middle distance running.

Following an apprenticeship as a coach painter at Lowman’s Bakery, and then working for BT, he set up his own taxi company A2B Taxis in the 1980s, which for several years was run from above the family cafe ‘Don’s Cab’in’ in Belvedere Road.

He later moved the business to the National Express Coach Station and changed its name to A2B Express Travel, running the 22 bus service and free hospital bus as well as the Southampton Football Club bus.

For many years his company has provided school buses for Southampton and Hampshire councils as well as Eastleigh Medical Transport Service.

Away from the transport business Mr Beresford was a consummate entertainer and entertainment secretary at Bitterne Park Social Club, arranging cabarets with Marty Wilde, Freddie and the Dreamers, Joe Pasquale and Kenny Ball.

He also arranged pre-match entertainment for The Saints when they played at The Dell.

He was diagnosed with cancer several years ago but continued to manage A2B alongside his wife Christine, daughter Lorna and son-in-law Joe Earle. He also leaves behind a son, David, and four grandchildren.

Daughter Lorna Earle said: “In the last few years he coped with his illness with courage and dignity, always positive, cheerful and a pleasure to be around.

“We have heard from so many people who say they don’t know where they would have been without his help and all of them say they will miss his wonderful smile.”

His funeral takes place at Southampton Crematorium at 12.30pm.

A procession of minibuses and taxis are expected to accompany the cortege.