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| April Jones laid to rest almost 12 months after murder | April Jones laid to rest almost 12 months after murder |
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| Almost exactly 12 months after five-year-old April Jones was abducted and murdered, the little girl has finally been laid to rest. | |
| Hundreds of mourners, almost all wearing a splash of pink – April's favourite colour – gathered to remember the girl who was kidnapped from the town of Machynlleth in mid-Wales as she played on her bicycle and killed by the former abattoir worker Mark Bridger. | |
| Despite the biggest search in British police history, her body has not been found, but police were careful to preserve tiny bone fragments found in Bridger's fireplace believed to be the only remains of April so that her parents, Coral and Paul, could give her some sort of send-off. | Despite the biggest search in British police history, her body has not been found, but police were careful to preserve tiny bone fragments found in Bridger's fireplace believed to be the only remains of April so that her parents, Coral and Paul, could give her some sort of send-off. |
| The Rev Kathleen Rogers, who led the service at St Peter's church in Machynlleth on Thursday, said the number of mourners showed how many lives April had touched in her five short years. She said everyone should be thankful for the joy April had brought – but also acknowledged that there was still a deep anger over her death. | The Rev Kathleen Rogers, who led the service at St Peter's church in Machynlleth on Thursday, said the number of mourners showed how many lives April had touched in her five short years. She said everyone should be thankful for the joy April had brought – but also acknowledged that there was still a deep anger over her death. |
| April's remains, in a cream-coloured coffin, were driven from the family home on the Bryn y Gog estate in a hearse drawn by two horses wearing pink feathered plumes. April's parents and her brother Harley, 11, followed in a car while her 17-year-old sister, Jazmin, walked the mile or so to the church, leading several hundred mourners and well-wishers who followed the cortege on foot. April's mother sobbed as she walked into the church while Harley choked back tears. | April's remains, in a cream-coloured coffin, were driven from the family home on the Bryn y Gog estate in a hearse drawn by two horses wearing pink feathered plumes. April's parents and her brother Harley, 11, followed in a car while her 17-year-old sister, Jazmin, walked the mile or so to the church, leading several hundred mourners and well-wishers who followed the cortege on foot. April's mother sobbed as she walked into the church while Harley choked back tears. |
| As mourners arrived in the church a montage of images of family life created by Jazmin as part of GCSE coursework was shown. Among the 250-strong congregation were school friends of April, police officers who investigated the case and rescue workers who helped search for April following her disappearance on 1 October last year. | As mourners arrived in the church a montage of images of family life created by Jazmin as part of GCSE coursework was shown. Among the 250-strong congregation were school friends of April, police officers who investigated the case and rescue workers who helped search for April following her disappearance on 1 October last year. |
| Others who had not been able to get into the church listened to the service relayed via loudspeakers. A former partner of Bridger and one of the jurors who heard his trial were among those who followed the service from the churchyard. | Others who had not been able to get into the church listened to the service relayed via loudspeakers. A former partner of Bridger and one of the jurors who heard his trial were among those who followed the service from the churchyard. |
| Rogers said family, friends and residents were feeling "pain, emptiness, anger and despair", and it was a "bittersweet" time. They had come to celebrate the short life of a "sweet, innocent little girl who touched us all", she said, but there was also "anger and confusion" that she had been taken. | Rogers said family, friends and residents were feeling "pain, emptiness, anger and despair", and it was a "bittersweet" time. They had come to celebrate the short life of a "sweet, innocent little girl who touched us all", she said, but there was also "anger and confusion" that she had been taken. |
| Among the hymns sung was one composed by a bereavement counsellor following the Dunblane tragedy and Blest Are the Pure in Heart sung in Welsh. A poem by a local writer was read out by a teacher at April's school, Sian Calban. | Among the hymns sung was one composed by a bereavement counsellor following the Dunblane tragedy and Blest Are the Pure in Heart sung in Welsh. A poem by a local writer was read out by a teacher at April's school, Sian Calban. |
| Entitled simply April it began: "On this beautiful sunlit autumn day, A desperate sadness casts long shadows across our anxious and questioning world." | Entitled simply April it began: "On this beautiful sunlit autumn day, A desperate sadness casts long shadows across our anxious and questioning world." |
| April was abducted by Bridger as she played with a friend close to her home. Earlier this year Bridger was convicted of her murder and told he would serve the rest of his life behind bars. | April was abducted by Bridger as she played with a friend close to her home. Earlier this year Bridger was convicted of her murder and told he would serve the rest of his life behind bars. |
| At the end of his trial the girl's family appealed to him to say where her body was, explaining that they would find it hard to move on until they recovered it, but Bridger has insisted he cannot remember what he did with the girl's remains. | |
| An inquest held earlier this month concluded the formal proceedings connected to the case and cleared the way for the family to organise a funeral just five days short of the grim anniversary. | An inquest held earlier this month concluded the formal proceedings connected to the case and cleared the way for the family to organise a funeral just five days short of the grim anniversary. |
| At the inquest Detective Superintendent Andy John, who led the investigation into April's murder, said that on the "balance of probabilities", the youngster died at Bridger's cottage, Mount Pleasant, in the village of Ceinws, a few miles from Machynlleth, on the day she was abducted. | At the inquest Detective Superintendent Andy John, who led the investigation into April's murder, said that on the "balance of probabilities", the youngster died at Bridger's cottage, Mount Pleasant, in the village of Ceinws, a few miles from Machynlleth, on the day she was abducted. |
| He has previously said he believes the girl's body was dismembered and scattered in different locations, possibly including a river. Bridger's skill as an abattoir worker and his knowledge of the area would have helped him hide the remains. | He has previously said he believes the girl's body was dismembered and scattered in different locations, possibly including a river. Bridger's skill as an abattoir worker and his knowledge of the area would have helped him hide the remains. |
| The trial judge ruled that Bridger's crime was sexually motivated. After his arrest police found images of children being sexually abused on his laptop. | The trial judge ruled that Bridger's crime was sexually motivated. After his arrest police found images of children being sexually abused on his laptop. |
| In recent weeks a memorial garden has been created on the green close to where April lived. It includes a doll's house, cuddly toys and flowers – all pink. A wooden seat – dubbed "April's bench" – and a picnic table have been crafted by staff from the nearby Centre for Alternative Technology. | In recent weeks a memorial garden has been created on the green close to where April lived. It includes a doll's house, cuddly toys and flowers – all pink. A wooden seat – dubbed "April's bench" – and a picnic table have been crafted by staff from the nearby Centre for Alternative Technology. |
| Before the funeral, April's parents said they did not want flowers to be sent but asked that donations go to a church project to sponsor a five-year-old girl in Uganda. Rogers said the girl would be sponsored until she finished her education and any spare money would be used to help other villagers. | Before the funeral, April's parents said they did not want flowers to be sent but asked that donations go to a church project to sponsor a five-year-old girl in Uganda. Rogers said the girl would be sponsored until she finished her education and any spare money would be used to help other villagers. |
| Not all well-wishers had heard the request for no flowers. One bouquet left at the church gates read: "April, star shining bright in the sky, sleep well." Another said: "Taken far too soon. Spread your angel wings." | Not all well-wishers had heard the request for no flowers. One bouquet left at the church gates read: "April, star shining bright in the sky, sleep well." Another said: "Taken far too soon. Spread your angel wings." |
| A short message from the family printed on the back of the order of service simply 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." | A short message from the family printed on the back of the order of service simply 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." |
| Following the service a private burial took place. The family is not expected to mark the anniversary in five days' time of April's disappearance in public. | |
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