EastEnders airs fitting farewell for Martin Fowler in emotional iPlayer release

As Martin's children struggled to prepare for the day ahead, his adopted daughter Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) was furious when mum Stacey (Lacey Turner) arrived home drunk on a milk float after several weeks away.

On the Square, Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) urged on Martin's pals as the men carried his coffin through the market that Martin had loved and fought for.

Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) leaned on each other, while Vicki's partner Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) insisted on going to the service to support her, despite his presence being unwelcome.

Meanwhile, feeling that she couldn't face the funeral and confiding that she blamed herself for Martin's death, his true love Stacey shared a heart-to-heart with Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), who persuaded her to attend after all.

But when Stacey met Lily at Martin's stall, Lily was unable to contain her building resentment towards her mum.

When Lily blasted Stacey's treatment of Martin and her behaviour over the years before branding her a slapper, Stacey slapped her daughter.

Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) sent Stacey to the church while she tried and failed to find Lily, who drowned her sorrows with Avani Nandra-Hart's (Aaliyah James) alcohol stash.

While a devastated Sharon also skipped the service, Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) gave a eulogy, poignantly commenting that Martin should have been speaking at her funeral instead.

Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) mourned the future she felt she had lost with Martin and their son Roman.

At the burial alongside the graves of Pauline (Wendy Richard), Arthur (Bill Treacher) and Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), Stacey spoke of how Martin had saved her so many times.

Jean (Gillian Wright) then handed Stacey some soil from Martin's allotment to throw onto the coffin.

Throughout the episode, there were sweet nods to Martin, with Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) innocently remarking that fruit and veg man Martin always used to give her a free banana.

West Ham fan Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) joked that walking the procession to the beat of Martin's Tottenham football team was a tribute too far.

One of the most heartbreaking moments saw young Arthur (Rocco Brenner) and Hope (Isabelle Smith) hold hands in the church as they took in the enormity of dad Martin's loss.

It's truly the end of an era as Walford faces a future without Martin, but with tensions set to escalate between Stacey and Ruby, can all who loved him pull together in his honour?

Read more:

• EastEnders airs emotional Ruby Allen exit amid Slater drama
• 4 EastEnders spoilers next week: Sonia Fowler shocked by a visitor ahead of exit
• EastEnders airs new fire mystery in early iPlayer release
• EastEnders star confirms upcoming exit scenes following dramatic return last year
• Call the Midwife fans delighted as beloved star makes EastEnders debut
• EastEnders at 40: Best ever whodunnits – From who shot Phil to who killed Archie?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

Visit our dedicated Soaps page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide