The funeral of a dedicated rail campaigner will be held six months after his death, following a community effort to trace his relatives.

Richard Pout, who spent decades devoting his time to fighting for rail improvements in Waltham Forest, suffered a heart attack in June, aged 65.

The vice-chairman of the Barking-Gospel Oak Rail User Group (BGOLUG) had infrequent contact with his sister at the time, who was his only living known relative.

Those wishing to attend his funeral were told the coroner’s service and police were unable to find his sister and, as a result, Mr Pout would have to have a basic funeral and his estate would be held by the government.

Friends of Mr Pout, Katy Andrews and John Barfield, tried to trace his relatives, with the help of Glenn Wallis, of BGOLUG's Glenn Wallis.

Ms Andrews said: “Richard had a friend in Sheffield who Glenn Wallis got in touch with. He gave us the name of his sister’s daughter, who John managed to trace.”

Ms Andrews eventually wrote to the family, who had no idea Mr Pout had died.

The letter was sent to the same address in Southampton, which police said they had visited.

The funeral will take place on December 5 at 11:45am at Islington Crematorium.

For more on this story, see this week's Guardian - out Thursday