Hundreds mourn popular Hove greengrocer

The funeral of popular Hove greengrocer Tony Magdi has been held.

Hundreds of people turned out to say their last goodbye to Mr Magdi, 52, of Portland Road, Hove.

His funeral was held at St Mary and St Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church – formerly St Thomas’s – in Davigdor Road, Hove, followed by burial at the Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Warren Road, Woodingdean.

His cousin Morris led the tributes.

Mr Magdi died on Sunday 28 November, three weeks after he was punched by a cyclist in a road rage attack yards from his home and shop.

Family and friends asked that instead of flowers, mourners make donations in Mr Magdi’s memory to The Jennifer Trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy at www.jtsma.org.uk.

Mr Magdi had two children, Christina and Joseph, who died of spinal muscular atrophy in infancy.

He is survived by his sister Amal and brother Farid, his former wife Louise Greenwood, and his cousins Morris, Theresa and Adel.

Mr Magdi’s close friends, George and Liz Jeha, from Canada, have been writing a blog since Mr Magdi was attacked.

Mr Jeha said: “I will always remember you and miss you, especially our long telephone conversations and our travels and adventures together.

“Thank you for the laughter and fun.

“You were more than a friend. You were like a brother.”

The couple said in a post just before Christmas that Brighton and Hove City Council had agreed to a permanent memorial to Mr Magdi being sited in the Portland Road area.

They wrote: “We are really grateful to the executive office and council for acting quickly on this.

“In the new year we will be able to present ideas and designs to a planner.

“If you are in the Portland Road area, you will know that Councillors Brian Oxley and Denise Cobb have set up a Tony Magdi Memorial Fund.

“They have distributed flyers to shops and pubs in the area.

“Donations to the fund go into a special mayor’s discretionary charity fund and will be kept separate for Tony’s memorial.”

Suggestions and donations can be sent to Councillor Oxley at brian.oxley1@mac.com.

* Paul Lambeth, 35, of Stafford Road, Brighton, has been charged with the manslaughter of Mr Magdi. He has been bailed to appear at Lewes Crown Court on Friday 7 January.