The Archbishop of Canterbury has joined the nation's leaders in paying tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore, who has died with coronavirus aged 100.

Justin Welby said in a statement that he was "deeply saddened" by the death of the WWII veteran, who last year raised over £32m for the NHS by walking in his garden. 

"I pray for his family and friends, and I join millions across the country in mourning with them," the Archbishop said. 

"Captain Tom was the very best of us. His courage, compassion, resilience, hope and generosity have been an inspiration to millions - and an example to us all. Where he walked a nation followed.

"I give thanks to God for such a long life, so well lived. May Captain Tom rest in peace."

A spokesperson for the Queen said she had sent a private message of condolence to the family. 

The Queen knighted Captain Sir Tom in an open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle last summer after his astonishing fundraising effort captured the nation's heart and rallied spirits early on in the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace tweeted: "Her Majesty very much enjoyed meeting Cpt Sir Tom and his family at Windsor last year.

"Her thoughts, and those of the Royal Family, are with them, recognising the inspiration he provided for the whole nation and others across the world."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he "was a hero in the truest sense of the word".

"In the dark days of the Second World War he fought for freedom and in the face of this country's deepest post war crisis he united us all, he cheered us all up, and he embodied the triumph of the human spirit," he said.

"It is quite astonishing that at the age of 100 he raised more than £32 million for the NHS, and so gave countless others their own chance to thank the extraordinary men and women who have protected us through the pandemic.

"He became not just a national inspiration but a beacon of hope for the world. Our thoughts are with his daughter Hannah and all his family."