Rotherham sci-fan cremated in Tardis-style coffin after brain tumour death

Family said Robin Wilkinson's coffin was wheeled into the sound of Doctor Who theme tune

A sci-fi fan who died from a brain tumour has been cremated in a Tardis-style coffin with a lightsabre by his side.

Robin Wilkinson, 50, from Rotherham, was diagnosed with the tumour in 2020 after collapsing and blacking out.

His niece Eve Huckbody, who is fundraising in his memory, said he was given a send-off to remember.

She said: "I could just imagine him laughing his head off. It really summed him up."

Mr Wilkinson's funeral was held at Rotherham crematorium in August where his coffin was wheeled in to the Doctor Who theme tune.

Mr Wilkinson's niece described her uncle as "such a fun character"

His niece said: "Uncle Robin was sci-fi mad so he was cremated in the Tardis, the Doctor Who police box.

"It was massive and weighed a tonne. It was too heavy to be carried, so it had to be wheeled in while the Doctor Who theme tune was playing."

After his diagnosis, Mr Wilkinson had an operation, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Ms Huckbody said: "He had an MRI scan but it took so long to get the results.

"During that time, his mum said he was babbling a lot and wasn't making any sense. His emotions were really up and down.

"I actually called the local mental health team because I thought he was having a breakdown. That same day, the hospital called to say the MRI scan showed Uncle Robin had a brain tumour.

"It was devastating and I just didn't want to believe it."

The 36-year-old, who is now fundraising for Brain Tumour Research, said: "Other cancers receive so much more funding than brain tumours.

"More needs to be done because it seems there is no way of surviving this."