Captain Sir Tom Moore has died in hospital aged 100 after testing positive for coronavirus, his family has confirmed.

The charity fundraiser and war veteran was taken to Bedford Hospital on Sunday after being treated for pneumonia for some time and testing positive for coronavirus last week.

Cambs Times: Captain Sir Tom Moore, 100, has died in hospital, his family has confirmed.Captain Sir Tom Moore, 100, has died in hospital, his family has confirmed.

In a statement, his daughters Hannah and Lucy said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore.

"We are so grateful that we were with him during the last hours of his life; Hannah, Benjie and Georgia by his bedside and Lucy on FaceTime. We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother. We shared laughter and tears together.

"The last year of our father's life was nothing short of remarkable. He was rejuvenated and experienced things he'd only ever dreamed of."

Sir Tom's fundraising efforts raised more than £32m for the NHS, walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday during the first national lockdown in April.

The veteran, who previously lived in West Norfolk, set out to raise £1,000 from his charity challenge but his efforts struck a chord with the nation, and praise and donations flooded in.

Cambs Times: Captain Sir Tom Moore raised millions of pounds for the NHS.Captain Sir Tom Moore raised millions of pounds for the NHS. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

He raised a total of £32.7m, with donations from 1.5 million supporters, before his fundraising page was closed at midnight following his 100th birthday on April 30.

He started his challenge a little over three weeks earlier, and encouraged people to continue to donate to NHS Charities Together.

In acknowledgement of his efforts, he was knighted by the Queen during a unique open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle in summer 2020.

Sir Tom rounded off 2020 with a trip to Barbados with his family, and his fundraising efforts were marked during the New Year's drone display in London, as his figure appeared over the O2 Arena.

Captain Tom's family confirmed his illness on Sunday, saying he had needed additional help with his breathing and was being treated on a ward but not in ICU.

Following the news, many figures sent well wishes, including the prime minister.

In April, Sir Tom teamed up with singer Michael Ball for a cover of You'll Never Walk Alone.

It went to number one in the singles charts, knocking Canadian superstar The Weeknd off the top spot, making Sir Tom - then aged 99 - the oldest artist to have a UK number one single.

Cambs Times: Norfolk cartoonist Rebecca Osborne drew a picture of Captain Sir Tom Moore, which he thanked her for.Norfolk cartoonist Rebecca Osborne drew a picture of Captain Sir Tom Moore, which he thanked her for. (Image: Archant)

He became a national treasure, being knighted by the Queen and appearing in an episode of Piers Morgan's Life Stories, where he discussed his life from war hero to national inspiration.

In September it emerged his fairy tale story was getting the Hollywood treatment following a fierce bidding war.

The "uplifting" and "life-affirming" biopic will focus on the former British Army captain's "close relationship with his family and explore how his strength, wisdom and humour changed the way they viewed the world".

After news of the biopic broke, Sir Tom quipped: "I don't know of any 100-year-old actors but I'm sure Michael Caine or Anthony Hopkins could do a wonderful job if they were prepared to age up!"

Sir Tom also wrote a book about his life titled Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day.

He was born in Keighley, West Yorkshire, on April 30, 1920.

He attended Keighley Grammar School and later completed an apprenticeship as a civil engineer before joining the Army.

He enlisted into the eighth battalion of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (8 DWR), an infantry unit that was converted to operate Churchill tanks as part of the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC).

In 1940, he was selected for officer training and rose to the rank of captain, later being posted to 9 DWR in India.

He served and fought in the Arakan in western Burma, since renamed Rakhine State, and went with his regiment to Sumatra after the Japanese surrender.
After the war, he returned to the UK and worked as an instructor at the Armoured Fighting Vehicle School in Bovington, Dorset.

He previously made a foray into television when he appeared on gameshow Blankety Blank, hosted by Terry Wogan, in 1983.

He used to live at Welney with his late wife Pamela and their two daughters Hannah and Lucy.

Captain Tom joined Cawoods Concrete as manager in the very early 1980s.

He then went on to become managing director of March Concrete Products Ltd.

He lived in Kent for many years before moving to Bedfordshire to be with his family in 2007.