Funeral held for Bristol mum Cher Maximen who was stabbed to death at Notting Hill Carnival

A funeral service has been held in Bristol for a mum who died after being stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival.

Cher Maximen was at the carnival's family day with her three-year-old daughter on Sunday 25 August when a fight broke out. She tried to intervene, and was stabbed.

The 32-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest and was taken to hospital. She underwent two major operations but died six days later.

Cher lived in London at the time of the incident, but grew up in Bristol having been born at Southmead Hospital in July 1992.

Cher's family and friends filled All Saints Church in the Clifton area of the city ahead of her burial.

Cher's mum describer her daughter as "amazing" and "beautiful", adding: "She did have a heart of gold and she’s left behind a lovely, lovely granddaughter of mine.

“Cher, before you passed and were in intensive care, I told you how much I love you, I told you how much your brother loves you. You shed a tear. It ran down your face and I knew that was closure for everything.

"It’s been hard seeing pictures. Hearing music that I know you would like and to see you in everything.

"Cher you are loved. You will always be loved. I met a lot of your friends before you passed but I’ve met a lot more now that you have passed. They all turned out for you.

“Your vigil was amazing. We felt you, with the African drumming, everyone’s hairs on their bodies stood up.

“I know you wouldn’t want everyone to be sad. You’re now with your dad. 100% you’re with your dad and I dread to think the two of you together because you’re quite the combination.

“You’re sadly missed.”

One of Cher's friends told the service that saying goodbye to Cher is one of the hardest things they have ever had to do.

They described her as “magic, mysterious, supernatural, a force beyond explanation".

“You lived life on your absolute own terms - right till the end - and the one thing that brings me and everyone that loves you joy is you did everything once, maybe twice, sometimes possibly three times," they added.

“I’m so incredibly proud of you for everything that you were, everything that you are, everything that you did.

"Being in your life was an absolute privilege and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have known you, to have loved you and to have been a part of your chosen family.

“We love you.”

Cher’s brother said his sister was "larger than life" and "lived life to the fulled" while her uncle Ty described her as "beautiful, loving, supportive, loud, comical and very protective".

Bristol poet Lawrence Hoo was Cher's cousin and paid tribute to her at the service with a poem.

He said: "Our Cher, Life makes no sense Death makes less

"As we gather here today to honour the life of Cher Maximen, One who represented us all at our best

"No words can truly express the sense of loss, pain and emptiness we all feel

"If only this was a nightmare, we could awaken from and non of this was real

"We would like to believe, we all knew how lively, spirited shall we say, Cher could be.

"As one who lived her life, to the full, unshackled and free

"A loving, caring, funny, energetic soul

"Who has left all hearts she touched, with an irreplaceable hole

"Cher, you have now become a star that illuminates our night.

"An angel for Angel Wray. Her omnipresent guiding light."

Shakiel Thibou, 20, has been charged with murder following Cher's death. His two brothers, Sheldon, 24, and Shaeim, 21, face lesser charges in connection with her death.

All three defendants remain in custody and a provisional trial date has been set for 24 February 2025.