The life of the "truly great" Oscar-winning film director Richard Attenborough has been celebrated by a host of A-list stars.

Film veteran Lord Attenborough, who dominated the British movie business for more than half a century, died last August at the age of 90.

The service of thanksgiving in Westminster Abbey, central London, had a dazzling congregation including his brother, TV wildlife presenter Sir David Attenborough, actors Sir Michael Caine, Sir John Hurt, Sir Kenneth Branagh and Dame Judi Dench.

The ceremony, which lasted just under an hour, featured Sir David reading from Lord Attenborough's 1994 maiden speech which opens with a line that got the congregation chuckling.

"I have it on the best authority - from a not too distant relative - that we are related to apes," he read.

After reading the extract, which included the words "the arts are not a luxury" but "are for everyone", Sir David added: "My brother lived by his words."

As the service opened, the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr John Hall, said: "We come to celebrate the life and achievement of Richard Attenborough, a truly great man: certainly a star of stage and screen, but also a pioneer film-maker, an exemplary leader of his profession, a man of deep commitment, of great generosity of spirit, and of personal warmth."

He added: "We shall also pray that his story might continue to inspire and inform others to follow his example, that our world might become a little brighter and better."

Sir Ben Kingsley read from the writings of Gandhi, while fellow actor Tom Hiddleston also did a reading.

After the ceremony, Sir Michael said: "It was brilliant. So beautiful."

And Dame Judi said: "I thought it was absolutely perfect."

Dame Penelope Keith said it was "marvellous", adding: "I think he'd have loved it."

In his address, Lord Puttnam described Lord Attenborough as "gifted, loyal, tenacious, but also deeply sensitive".

He recalled a story from 1990 when he led a delegation to discuss the creative industries with then prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Lord Puttnam said the PM asked why it had taken them so long to get together, to which Lord Attenborough replied: "Because you never asked me, darling."

Ex-Chelsea footballer Gianfranco Zola represented the peer's favourite team.