Funeral held for April Jones

The family of April Jones said a final farewell as the town that shared their grief came to a standstill.

The tiny white coffin carrying her remains was borne through the streets of Machynlleth in a horse-drawn hearse as the community stood in silence or followed behind, all wearing pink in tribute to the schoolgirl.

Paul Davies reports:

Pink floral tributes were placed at the entrance of St Peter's Church by well-wishers, carrying heartfelt messages of sympathy for April Jones and her family.

One stated simply: "Fly high little angel, forever in our hearts, lots of love, Lorna, Boyd, Connie, Ella and Ewan."

Another pink bouquet carried the message: "In loving memory of April. From Nan and Grandad."

The Order of Service pictured a carefree and smiling April Jones on the beach wearing a bright orange top and shorts.

Her devastated mother sobbed audibly in grief as she walked slowly into the funeral service for her murdered daughter.

After the service, the funeral party left the church for a private burial.

Reverend Kathleen Rogers told the congregation: "We have come together to remember April in the presence of God. We have come to celebrate her short life and grieve together, to say goodbye.

"It's a bittersweet moment. Our hopes and dreams have changed because April has been taken from us.

"But you know, we come also with a sense of thanksgiving for the many ways that April touched our lives and those with whom she came into contact.

"For a five-year-old she touched a great many lives ... for Paul, Coral, Jazmin and Harley, April was and is extra special.

"But she touched us all and we think and feel differently because of the difference she made to us.

"Today, here in this place, she is linking us all together in grief. Yet, grief goes hand in hand with love.

"In whatever way we express our grief, it shows our love for April.

"And surely that is the most important thing for any human being of whatever age, simply to be loved."

Beginning the funeral service, the Reverend Kathleen Rogers said: "We know that there are no words we can say at this moment to express what we are feeling. No words can alleviate our sorrow or take away our pain."

A message from April's family, written on the order of service, said: "Paul, Coral, Jazmin and Harley would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their overwhelming kindness, sympathy and support during this sad, sad time."

The emotional parents of April Jones accompanied her tiny coffin into St Peter's Church where they will bid a final farewell to their daughter a year after she was killed.

Hundreds of mourners in the mid-Wales market town of Machynlleth also gathered to pay their respects to the five-year-old.

April Jones' parents, brother and sister followed the horse-drawn hearse on the one mile journey from the Bryn-y-Gog estate to St Peter's Church in a car.

They were joined by hundreds of mourners on foot, with many wearing the schoolgirl's favourite colour pink.

The parents of April Jones wore pink as they prepared to say goodbye to the five-year-old at a funeral service, a year after she was killed.

It comes five days before the first anniversary of April's murder and just 10 days after an inquest released her remains to her family.