He was admitted to hospital for pneumonia in January and then again a few days ago, as his family confirmed, he tested positive for coronavirus.

So Tom was a veteran of the Second World War who raised almost £39 million for NHS charities during the first lock down last year.

On that remarkable achievement led to nationwide fame.

Onder earned him the respect and admiration off Million's Sir Tom said.

The pinnacle of the past year for him was being knighted by the Queen at Windsor last summer.

As our correspondent David Sillitoe reports, Now he's a nice, smooth one man.

I'm raising machine, captain Soothe Word inspirational is rather an understatement.

That's the way I think I've always spoke to see.

Tomorrow will be a good day.

What began as a little family challenge to do 100 laps of his garden became a fundraising juggernaut on New Year's Eve.

The face of 2020 was Captain Tom.

He was born in Keithley in 1929 had served in Burma during the war.

After that, he'd run a business the closest he'd ever come to fame.

Hearing this Christmas on was an appearance on Blankety blank.

Tom, have you got family or anybody?

You'd rather not be watching this?

Yes.

Two girls.

Yeah.

Coming up 16.

Coming up.

14.

But everything changed when his family set up.

Ah, fundraising page for Captain Tom.

The hope was to raise £1000 for NHS charities to support the nurses and doctors during the pandemic.

But just over a week later, the total had passed a million pounds on.

By the time he celebrated his 100th birthday, the total had topped.

30 million will come through the wind.

He also had a number one single through the rain.

Captain Tom had become known the world over.

He received 140 0 birthday cards.

Regimental Model Hay was made an honorary colonel.

He received a knighthood on the R F, staged a birthday fly past.

I'm absolutely delighted with Aled.

The people like you who have come to wish me on money.

Happy birthday.

It's been an extraordinary 10 months.

The final entry on his wish list was an end of year trip to Barbados.

And then earlier this week it was announced that he had pneumonia and a tested positive for the coronavirus.

Leading the tributes.

Today, a statement from Buckingham Palace, the queen said her thoughts and those of the royal family are with them.

Recognizing the inspiration he provided for the whole nation.

On others across the world and Downing Street, the union flags were at half mast.

Captain sir Tom Moore was a hero in the truest sense of the word.

In the dark days of the Second World War, he fought for freedom on in the face of this country's deepest post war crisis.

He united us all.

Captain Tom described it as a fairy tale.

But during some dark months, it was his good cheer that became a little source of joy for millions, never everyone to support every in my life, anything like this.

It really is amazing.

And I'm gonna say to everyone, thank you very much, toe everyone wherever you are.

Yeah, you'll never work alone.

Today's tributes to Captain Sir Tom Moore, the champion fundraiser on lock down hero who died at the age off 100 on with me to reflect on a very long and fruitful life on indeed, a remarkable last year of his life in Saddam's case is Mark Eastern, our home editor.

And I'm just thinking, Mark, this really is ah, kind of combination of factors.

Isn't it the right man at the right time for what people needed?

Absolutely.

I think Britain absolutely needed Captain Tom when the pandemic was making us question everything he was.

He was a representative off the greatest generation that the men and women shaped by wartime sacrifice.

You understood what it means meant by duty and resilience and humility.

Walking up and down his garden up and down, uncomplainingly doing his bit on.

I think Captain Tom, you know, in his medals and his regimental blazer, he linked us back to to something that many in Britain see almost as this country's finest hour, the Second World War.

And he won the affection, I think off the whole nation.

Old and young has locked down required US toe furlough our freedoms.

This old soldier was sort of epitomizing how we'd like to see ourselves in a in a in a crisis because as well as the indomitable spirit.

There was always a twinkle in his eye, a joke and a and a laugh, and when we needed it most is the virus raged and we struggled to hold it together.

Captain Tom kept on walking up and down, up and down Mark.

Many thanks Mark Easton with his thoughts on captains of Tom's life and contribution.