CAPTAIN Sir Tom Moore beams at the camera surrounded by his beloved family in the last photo taken before his tragic death.

The hero centenarian, who became a beacon of hope during the early stages of the pandemic, passed away after battling Covid and pneumonia.

Follow the latest tributes to Captain Tom Moore on our live blog…

Captain Tom posted a touching photo with his grandchildren Benji and Georgia, daughter Hannah and her husband Colin Ingram on January 18.

The picture, the last posted on his Twitter page before his tragic death, shows the war veteran smiling while giving a thumbs up.

Dressed in a smart camel coat and scarf with his famous walker, the family's two dogs also feature in the poignant snap.

A heartwarming message alongside it reads: "We're full of hope from all the stories we've been hearing of people young and old doing incredible things.

"They prove what everyone is capable of and if we all unite we can make a real difference. It doesn’t take much, even a smile can brighten a day

"#TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay".

The picture came just weeks after Captain Tom ticked Barbados off his bucket list with a festive family getaway.

The trip was courtesy of British Airways and Visit Barbados and the family flew out before the UK government's strict rules on travel came into place.

Captain Tom tweeted a message and a picture of himself enjoying the sunshine on the Caribbean island.

Wearing shorts with his medals pinned to his chest, he smiled at the camera as he was surrounded by his beaming family.

The tweet read: "Enjoying a beautiful family day in the Barbados sunshine, #TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay.”

Captain Tom's family today confirmed he had died in hospital after falling ill.

They were able to visit him as he battled Covid before his tragic passing.

The family released a statement on January 31 revealing he had been taken to Bedford Hospital and was being "made comfortable".

His pneumonia medication meant he was unable to have the Covid vaccine.

Captain Tom became a shining light for the nation in the darkest moments of the pandemic.

The war veteran launched his bid to raise money for NHS staff before his 100th birthday on April 30 last year.

His aim was to raise £1,000 walking 100 laps of the 25-metre (82ft) loop in his garden with the aid of a frame.

The champ then vowed to keep on walking while people were still donating after he achieved the amazing feat on April 16.

Staggeringly, he went on to raise £32,796,355 for NHS charities and received a knighthood from the Queen.

Refusing to slow down after his incredible fundraising efforts, he released a heartwarming version of You'll Never Walk Alone with Michael Ball.

The single went straight to Number 1 and included a spoken-word introduction from Captain Tom, who says: "Hold your head up high, and don't be afraid of the dark."

He became the oldest person to reach the top of the charts with the charity single.

When he turned 100, the milestone was celebrated with an RAF flypast and he was promoted to Colonel.

Captain Tom's heroic life was told in a bestselling book – including his time spent in the Army fighting for Britain.

He once joked he wanted to make a bet on that he would live to 103 would die but no bookmakers would take him up on.

He said: “Some people can’t bear the thought of death but I draw strength from it.

“If tomorrow is my last day, if all those I loved are waiting for me, then that tomorrow will be a good day too.”

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