Crowds line streets of Roberttown for funeral of six-year-old Beau
The mother of a six-year-old girl who died from a rare cancer has paid an emotional tribute as hundreds of people lined the streets for her funeral.
Shirley Hepworth's daughter, Beau, died from neuroblastoma after a high-profile campaign to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to fund treatment.
Crowds gathered in Roberttown, near Liversedge, West Yorkshire, as she was laid to rest on Friday.
At Beau’s request, the community came together to decorate the whole village with rainbows and colour.
Addressing those who came to pay their respects, Ms Hepworth said she worried who would take care of Beau when she died.
She said: "At first I thought, who was going to look after Beau? I would comfort and protect her, and I would move mountains for her. If she was sad I would help her 24 hours a day.
"But when she leaves me on this earth, where would she go? Who would comfort her? How would she navigate a place she didn’t know? But I now feel at peace. She is being very well looked after."
She added: "I haven’t got up here today for me, but for Beau’s six-year-old friends who might be struggling with this. She will forever be a part of us."
Beau was four years-old when she was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer with a 40-50% chance of long-term survival.
After exhausting NHS treatment options, her family organised a fundraising campaign to send her to the United States for a vaccine trial.
The campaign raised more than £600,000, but days before Beau was due to complete frontline treatment, the family were told she had relapsed. It meant she was unable to access the vaccine trial.
Beau died days before her seventh birthday earlier this month.
In a message posted before the funeral, local MP Kim Leadbeater, who has supported the family, said: "Beau captured the hearts of many thousands of people locally, throughout Yorkshire and across the country.
"There are no words for what Shirley and her family are going through just now, but I know that together we can make this an afternoon that befits Beau’s memory."
Bikers, fire engines and ambulances adorned with banners drove through the town before she arrived with her family at All Saints Church. The route she took had been chalked with messages by her friends.
Hundreds then gathered both inside and outside the church to listen to tributes - including a video by her classmates at Roberttown Junior School.
In a written tribute, Beau's sister Brooke wrote she had the "biggest heart".
She said: "You stayed strong throughout this whole journey - and your sparkle kept everyone going. This isn’t goodbye, this is see you soon. Until then, keep the stars shining, the rainbows bright and the sun shining."
Money raised for Beau will go to the charity Solving Kids Cancer UK.
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