The woman who cooked chicken and chips for The Beatles and made sure Noddy Holder stayed off the ale was given a moving send-off as musicians joined family and friends for her funeral.

More than 100 people were at the Plaza, Old Hill, to remember 94-year-old Mary Regan, known as Ma to the bands she employed, after yesterday’s funeral at The Oratory, Edgbaston Mourners were asked to play bingo in her honour.

It was free to all Plaza members and called by Ron Jordan, 79, who was resident bingo caller at the club for more than 20 years.

Grandson Darren Howe, 38, of Brighton, paid tribute to a “formidable but kindly” Irish grandmother, a teacher turned club owner who brought top 60s bands to the Black Country venue.

She also ran three Birmingham clubs, including the Plaza, Handsworth, and the Ritz, Kings Heath, which became known as “the Regan circuit”.

Acts on the circuit included The Beatles, Kinks, The Animals, Dusty Springfield, Brenda Lee, The Searchers, The Tremeloes, Gerry and The Pacemakers, Manfred Mann, The Moody Blues, Jerry Lee Lewis and Del Shannon.

Geoff Thompson and John Crutchley, who played in a band called Listen with later Led Zeppelin guitarist Robert Plant at Old Hill, were among those paying respects yesterday.

Cannock-born Geoff, 63, now of Walsall, said: “Doing sometimes three gigs in a night was unique to this area, and they were great times.” John, 61, of Aldridge, said: “Robert Plant was DJ here when we came to play and Ma got him in with us when our rhythm guitarist left. You could say that without Ma Regan, Led Zeppelin might not have happened.”

Bob Bailey, who used to drive the bands, said of The Beatles: “When they played here, there was nowhere for them to stay so Ma put them up at her home in Woodbourne Road, Edgbaston.”

Mrs Regan, who had two children, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, died on March 13.