Sunderland takeaway customers prepare to pay respects to its owner on funeral day

George Ng, from Fulwell, collapsed with a suspected brain haemorrhage while performing music alongside a display at a Chinese autumn festival late last month.

He would have turned 61 just days later.

Dozens of customers have expressed their sadness following his death.

In addition to his friends, leading members of the Chinese community have added their tributes to George, who ran the Unicorn Dance performance arts group with his son.

The dad-of-two ran the Fountain Garden takeaway in Queen's Crescent, Barnes, with his family, launching it in 1993 after his father Jimmy retired from the Lotus Garden in High Street West.

They, along with George's brother Danny, moved to Sunderland from Hong Kong in 1993 as they looked to make a better life.

His children Nigel, 25, and Julie, 32, and his wife Peng, 50, have said they have been given great comfort from the messages of love sent to them from customers and friends following George's sudden death.

Today, his family have invited people to create a guard of honour outside the takeaway from around 11.45am, as the funeral cortege passes by at around noon.

A Buddhist ceremony will then be held at Pennywell Community Centre from 1pm until around 2pm, with a burial to take place at Mere Knolls Cemetery.

Their business has been closed in the wake of their loss, but they have pledged to continue its work from Monday in honour of George and as his legacy.