Doddie Weir legacy will be to find a cure for MND

Kathy, Doddie's wife, issued a statement on behalf of the family thanking everyone for their support over the past two weeks.

"As a family, we have been overwhelmed by the many messages we have received from all over the world," she said.

"They have brought great comfort to me and the boys.

"We really appreciate people taking the time to share their own memories of Doddie and let us know we are in their thoughts."

Everyone at the Melrose Parish Church was given a chance to pay their respects at the end of the service.

"We understand not everyone will be able to make it, particularly given the time of year, but we know you're all thinking of us," she added.

A closing hymn and a song called Doddie's Dream bring the memorial service in his honor to a close.

Hundreds gathered at Melrose Parish Church and a much bigger audience at Melrose Rugby Club and watched online as his former teammates and family paid tribute to a man of huge determination, warmth and fun.

Rob Wainright said that he was one of the game's best-loved icons.

While his sons read a poem to their father, John Jeffrey said he was simply a legend.

Jeffrey became emotional as he talked about the future of the foundation after Doddie.

Doddie usually told them to find a cure for the disease.

His voice cracked as he spoke.

We will not let you down.

You are a legend and your legacy will be that we find a cure for the disease.

Doddie's friends raised money to help his family after he was diagnosed.

Doddie was embarrassed by the amount of money raised for him.

Doddie declared he would not accept any more money because he "was the lucky one". He said he had a family to care for whatever threw at him and this evolved into the setting up of his foundation.

Jeffrey paid tribute to Kathy, saying how proud he was of her and his boys.

Doddie was quoted as saying that the disease was not terminal.

Doddie's charity was described as a train that was out of control, and he highlighted some of its achievements.

John Jeffrey, also known as "JJ", is next with his tribute.

The two men shared a lot in common, as well as being friends, players, farmers, and trustees of the My Name'5 Doddie foundation.

He describes his pal as "an absolute pest" both on the pitch and off. He says he never changed and has been an absolute pest through his treatment and to medics and scientists.

Jeffrey highlights the last six years of Doddie's life, saying that his jokes became more embarrassing, his humor became more childish, and his prank became more outrageous.

Doddie got worse as he got older.

The success of Doddie's foundation is due to him being "dogged, determined and sheer bloody-minded", according to him.

Morgan's name is Morgan.

The Greenyards is home to the Scottish Broadcasting Corporation.

As the service goes on at Melrose Parish Church, the rain here at the Greenyards hasn’t deterred fans and friends coming along to say a final goodbye to Doddie.

Several hundred people, many wearing Doddie’s signature tartan, are sitting in the stand of Melrose RFC’s stadium. An audio feed of the service is playing through the loud speaker system.

The Red Hot Chillipipers performed on the pitch.

People I’ve spoken to here have been sharing their memories of Doddie, paying tribute to his positive attitude and his fundraising efforts in aid of Motor Neurone Disease research.

Rob Wainwright wants people to get involved in funding research.

It would be "Doddie's trophy" to find a cure for the disease.

He said goodbye to his friend.

Statistics and trophies are only one part of the story of a sportsman.

Doddie was definitely a radiators, according to him.

The number of people here shows how much they cared about him.

One of the best-loved icons of the game is him.

Timmy Douglas is a person.

The legendary mad giraffe that all of us can picture, who raised our spirits, made us laugh, has played his final fixture.

Doddie crossed his final tryline and the opposition dispersed.

He lived that way and not that he won or lost.

Self- deprecating, self-reliant, hero to the nation, a truly humble, gentle giant, total inspiration.

He faced life with a gleeful grin and charismatic laughter, “though well aware he couldn’t win.

There are a lot of laddies.

We’ll see you at the Greenyards, Doddie, Eildons on the skyline, sound in wind and limb and body, charging for the tryline.

We’ll see outrageous tartan suits appear at every level, cracking jokes and cocking snooks and laughing at the Devil.

Kathy and her boys are in our hearts.

Light and power are retained by remembering.

The man was a close friend of everyone.

He moved us to tears. His life was amazing.

Three brothers in suits are about to deliver a poem about their dad.

Timmy Douglas wrote the book "Requiem for Doddie"

Doddie is the name given by Bill McLaren.

The boys laugh at the line "we'll see outrageous tartan suits appear at every level" while delivering their third tribute.

The boys end on the line "his life and times were magic".

Carl paid tribute to the hope which Doddie gave everyone.

You just don't know what is around the corner, that's what his motto was.

The congregation owes it to Doddie to continue his work.

Everyone has a story to tell about Doddie.

He said he had "magical memories" of their time together at the Greenyards with Melrose.

He says singing the national anthem on his first cap was one of the highlights of his life.

Doddie Weir is described as a man of principle by Carl Hogg.

He was loved and respected throughout the world because of his "determination in abundance".

He says that Doddie was shy before he turned to rugby.

Carl was a team-mate of Doddie's and welcomed everyone to the Borders.

"Doddie had an amazing life, it was full of fun, adventure and love," he says.

He says there has been a lot of respect shown to him, but he was a loving husband and father.

Doddie's closest friends and team mates have a lot of happy memories of their relationships on and off the field.

Scott Hastings has been sharing on social media as his family arrives for the service.

He says that there will never be another Doddie Weir.

The sister of Doddie gives the first reading.

Rev Rosie Frew followed with a reading of the Christmas story and conducted a prayer with a message of love and promise.

She said they took strength from the words.

This leads to a small town.

Doddie's trademark was tartan suits and his sons are wearing them.

The service at Melrose Parish Church has been brought to you many times.

Away from the main church service, Alastair Thomson, who used to play rugby at Melrose, is among those who have turned out to pay his respects.

He says it's important to be at the Greenyards ground where he played.

"I just wanted to say goodbye to the big man.

"He was just a genuinely nice man."

The service of celebration has begun at Melrose Parish Church.

She says that everyone will celebrate the life of a loved one, friend and former team mate.

All Things Bright an Beautiful is the opening song of the song.