![Stella McCartney and Yoko Ono's tearful embrace at funeral of 'Fifth Beatle' - but Macca stays away]( "Stella McCartney and Yoko Ono's tearful embrace at funeral of 'Fifth Beatle' - but Macca stays away")
Stella McCartney and Yoko Ono's tearful embrace at funeral of 'Fifth Beatle' - but Macca stays away
By RICHARD SIMPSON and LAURA ROBERTS
8th April 2008
The Beatles he loved couldn't be there to say goodbye.
It was left to the women to pay the band's final respects to Neil Aspinall, the man who ran the group's business empire for 40 years and was known as the "fifth Beatle".
He died two weeks ago at 66 after a battle with lung cancer.
<-- Embrace: Stella McCartney and Yoko Ono comfort each other following the funeral of Neil Aspinall in Twickenham today
John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, 75, and Sir Paul McCartney's daughter, the fashion designer Stella McCartney, 36, were among 250 mourners at yesterday's funeral at St Mary the Virgin near Mr Aspinall's home in Twickenham, South-West London.
The pair were seen warmly embracing along with Beatles producer Sir George Martin, 82, outside the funeral at the Church of St Mary the Virgin near Aspinall's home in Twickenham, south west London.
Ringo Starr's wife Barbara Bach, 60, and original Beatles member Pete Best, 66, also attended, as did The Who's guitarist Pete Townshend who arrived with a guitar under his hand to perform at the ceremony.
McCartney clan: Stella arrived for the service, however there was no sign of her father Sir Paul
Townshend, 62, played along to Mr Tambourine Man and then to late Beatle George Harrison's solo hit My Sweet Lord which marked the end of the service as Aspinall's coffin was taken from the church to be buried.
Former EastEnders actor John Altman, 56, who played Albert Square's resident bad boy Nick Cotton, gave a reading during the service.
He had become good friends with Mr Aspinall as they were neighbours in Twickenham.
Neither Paul McCartney nor Ringo Starr attended the ceremony. Best had been Aspinall's best friend.
Sir Paul managed to visit Aspinall in a New York hospital, days before he died from lung cancer two weeks ago. McCartney's spokesman said he was out of the country on a pre-arranged trip yesterday.
No hymns were sung during the service conducted by Rev Dr Kerry Samuel.
The 50 minute funeral service began just before 1pm after the coffin arrived in a black hearse with the word "Papa" in flowers inside the car.
The red brick church was surrounded by local residents keen to pay their respects after Aspinall's passing.
Verger John Evans said: "His friends and family sang along to the chorus including Mary and Stella it was very moving."
After the ceremony Mr Aspinall's family went on to Teddington Cemetery for a private burial before joining friends at a party to celebrate his life.
Mr Evans said: "'It was a lovely service with so many people in attendance. There were no Beatles songs, I suppose he must have been a Bob Dylan fan."
Aspinall died two weeks ago in New York after a battle with lung cancer.
He earned the much-used title of "fifth Beatle" perhaps better than any other.
He became guardian of the Beatles' shambolic business interests at Apple Corps in 1968, on the condition that he would do it "only until they found someone else". He quit the position only last year.
For some 20 years following the break-up of the group in 1970, Aspinall applied his astute business acumen to fighting lawsuits on their behalf and unravelling their tangled financial affairs.
His flair for figures helped to transform them into the wealthiest entertainers in the world, with a estimated combined fortune of £2 billion.
A notoriously reclusive accountant, Aspinall made a rare public appearance last year in the course of a lengthy legal dispute involving Apple Corps, the Beatles' business organisation.
But a matter of weeks after settling the row with the Apple computer firm over the use of a trademark, Aspinall abruptly resigned as chief executive, reportedly frustrated that the band's musical legacy was being compromised in the quest for profits.
One of his last tasks had had been to remaster the group's back catalogue for legal downloading on the internet.
Sir Paul's friend and former PR advisor to the Beatles, Geoff Baker, said: "Neil Aspinall was the man who was closer to all of The Beatles than anyone.
"Under his creative and caring direction, The Beatles business phenomenon and its trademark Apple transcended far beyond the Sixties.
"He was the Beatles' friend who became their roadie who became the chief of their empire and the unassuming, modernising mastermind behind the band's enduring appeal and influence for four generations.
"Although he would deny it, he was long considered to be 'the real Fifth Beatle' by the music and entertainment industries which for 40 years revered and respected him as one of the wisest men in the record business."
Baker said Aspinall became friends with McCartney and Harrison at the Liverpool Institute for Boys where they formed the "Mad Lad Gang" that John Lennon later joined.
The others formed the Beatles while Aspinall became an accountant, but he soon rejoined his friends.
Mr Baker added: "Neil remained at the centre of the gang that was to change the world.
"Always he was right at the Beatles side, captaining their flagship Apple for 40 years after beginning as their first road manager and driver of their old Commer van, doubling up as The Beatles' minder, spotlight operator, confidante, fixer, personal assistant and, moreover, their mate."
Aspinall's wife, Suzy, and his five children were at his side as he died.
