Firefighters formed a guard of honour yesterday at the funeral of a cyclist killed while training for a cancer charity fundraiser.

More than 300 uniformed officers gathered at East London Cemetery in Plaistow as 35-year-old Brian Florey’s coffin was carried on a vintage Leyland fire engine.

The fire engine mechanic was getting ready for the 2013 London-to-Paris cycle ride for Macmillan when he was involved in a collision with a lorry on the A13 in Dagenham on November 19.

Barking and Dagenham firefighters turned out in force to pay their respects to the dad-of-two, who had recovered from testicular cancer.

Barking firefighter Rob Summers, 38, said: “It was quite a solemn event. We saw Brian when he came to fix the trucks. He knew a lot of people throughout the fire brigade. He was a really nice guy.”

The Post reported last week how Mr Florey had wanted to join the fire service but could not do so on medical grounds.

He would regularly sit with officers at Dagenham Fire Station in Rainham Road North and even at 4am would turn up with a smile on his face.

The Plaistow dad became the 13th cyclist to die in London this year.

The tragedy came as London Assembly members released a report urging for more cash for cycling safety after figures showed injuries have risen by around half in five years.

There were just over 2,500 slight injuries to cyclists on London’s roads in 2006 compared to almost 4,000 last year, an increase of 60 per cent. Serious injuries rose by 48 per cent from 373 to 555.

* A 57-year-old lorry driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving at the scene of the accident near the Ship and Shovel pub. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.