Carl Sargeant's funeral set to take place in his hometown

The funeral of Carl Sargeant will take place on 1 December in his hometown of Connah's Quay, it has been confirmed.

The deputy leader of Flintshire council Bernie Attridge said it would be "a celebration of his life".

It is understood the Alyn and Deeside AM took his own life four days after being sacked after claims of inappropriate behaviour.

Mr Attridge said the funeral at St Mark's Church will be the biggest the town has seen.

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Mr Sargeant, 49, was found dead after losing his job as cabinet secretary for communities and children earlier this month.

He was also suspended from the Labour Party after the claims about unwanted attention, inappropriate touching or groping were made.

The politician had vowed to clear his name, but was discovered at his home on 7 November.

An inquest into his death was opened on Monday, where a provisional cause of death was given as hanging.

FC Nomads (blue) held a minute's silence for their former president

An inquiry into how First Minister Carwyn Jones handled the sacking of his colleague will also be held.

Mr Attridge said the funeral will be the biggest held in the church "certainly in my lifetime".

He added: "We are expecting thousands. I've had hundreds of messages from people all over Wales and England, wanting to know about booking hotels.

"Family and friends are not seeing it as a funeral but as a celebration of Carl's life."

Mr Attridge is chairman of FC Nomads, a team that football-loving Mr Sargeant was president of.

All games were cancelled last week, but the team wore black arm bands and held a minute's silence ahead of Saturday's match against Buckley Town, with Mr Sargeant's family in attendance.