Tears for a princess

Standing outside the church, grown men wept and mothers clasped the hands of their children protectively as they listened to the service relayed to them by loudspeaker.

They had gathered to pay their final respects to Sarah Payne, the eight-year-old schoolgirl who was abducted and murdered.

The youngster had left her grandparents' house in Kingston, near Ferring, to play with her brothers and sister on July 1. She never returned.

Yesterday, her little body came home at last, in a white coffin carried in an ornate black Victorian carriage. The funeral was a chance for people who had been touched by Sarah's death to meditate over her short life.

They came in their hundreds. Some had travelled from their homes miles away to be there while others were shopkeepers who had seen the crowd and shut up shop. They carried wreaths of flowers and cards which were placed on her grave in a nearby cemetery.

Sarah's family had said their own farewells in a private gathering at her graveside. The coffin was then buried in the shade of a young oak tree.

Messages of remembrance included: "Sarah, we will always love you darling, miss your beautiful smile, love Auntie Gwyneth."

Attached to another floral tribute was a card from Sarah's grandparents: "A precious child so greatly missed. Sleep sweetly, darling. Miss you always." A separate bouquet read: "Always in our prayers, always in our hearts, rest in peace, little angel." A card signed by Auntie Joyce and Uncle Gordon read: "To a little angel. Behind our smiles there is a tear for a little girl that was so dear. Sleep sweetly with the angels. God bless."

Another touching tribute read: "Sometimes God sends a little girl from Heaven to earth to show us how to laugh and smile and care for each other, but most of all how to love. He calls them his angels. Sometimes he sends very special angels and when it is time, calls his special angels home."

Sarah's coffin was driven to the church by four dappled grey horses which walked slowly up the road to the church, a plume of black feathers on the head of each animal. Behind it walked Sarah's parents, Michael and Sara, with their three children and other relatives.

Looking pale and drawn, Michael led 21 family members while Sara walked at the rear, holding the hand of their six-year-old daughter Charlotte.

Poignantly, Sarah had visited St Peter's Church in Hersham, Surrey, many times before.

There she had sung hymns and said prayers.

There, in the months leading up to her death, she discovered her own faith in God.

Sarah's death had caused a national outcry and led to near-riots in parts of Britain but yesterday was a chance to quietly reflect on her life.

The Reverend Nick Whitehead welcomed the hundreds of people who packed out the church.

He told the children not to be afraid if they had never been to a funeral before. "It's all right in this service to be sad and to show it. It's also all right to smile and remember Sarah and give thanks for her life but there's no need to be frightened."

After singing Abide With Me, June Whittle, Sarah's form teacher at Burhill School, went to the front of the church to speak.

Fighting back tears, she said: "I have so many lovely memories of Sarah as do all the children and teaching staff. The Sarah we knew was always smiling, happy and chirpy. A great big cheery smile.

"Rarely a day went by without her writing a note to one of us, bringing in a little present from home."

A passage was read from the Gospel of John where Mary Magdalene is reassured that Jesus, although dead, would be resurrected.

Mr Whitehead then gave his funeral address which moved many both inside and outside the church to tears. He said: "We so longed for Sarah to be found safe. So many people, children and adults alike, prayed for her safe return and were deeply saddened by her death.

"For so many here today Sarah's absence brings with it powerful emotions and physical pain. Loss produces physical aches that words do not come close to soothing. And it sometimes distances us from those closest to us; as they struggle to cope with their loss while having to watch you struggling with yours.

"But through Sarah's death we have not been entirely left comfortless. Certain people have come into their own and displayed a real strength of character, a deep compassion and a willingness to share the suffering.

"This has happened at a personal level between family members and with friends. It has happened at a professional level with people from many institutions and agencies working closely together. And it has happened on a larger scale still, as people from far and wide, who have had to bear loss and death in their own lives, have felt moved to send flowers and cards and toys as a mark of solidarity and compassion.

"Beyond today and this service Sarah's closest family and friends are going to continue to need your help to continue their own lives and sometimes in the most ordinary and practical ways.

"Sarah was with us, she was a real person and by her living you have been changed forever.

"She is not with us any more and that is both tragic and sad. Sarah is with God. She has not been extinguished. Whatever the depth of grief and the aching loneliness, she has not been lost forever.

"She used to write letters to friends and family which she ended 'I love you so, so, so, so very much'. If God wrote letters he'd end them just like Sarah."

It was the words of Sarah's mother which were to prove the most touching. She told of how she hadn't known what to write, so instead wrote a letter to her daughter. She said: "Dear Sarah, ever since you came bounding into our lives at two in the morning with no phone in the house, with one tooth in your head and a smile that could melt ice we loved you. You were a joy that made our lives full.

"Daddy called you Princess because that's just what you are.

"You used to sleep then and you were never up before 10am and when you started school we never thought you would get up but you loved it, you loved your friends and you loved your teachers.

"When you had your grommets put in, you were scared and then you were drunk with the pre-med, you still had the giggles and most of all you were brave. Not brave enough to have your ears pierced but we got to the shops several times.

"As a sister you were great. You were a pain when you were supposed to be and a great friend whenever needed.

"Charlotte misses you, your stories, your songs, your games and most of all your huggles.

"As a daughter, my darling, you were perfect. Love always and for ever. Mummy and Daddy."

The congregation then sang one of Sarah's favourite hymns, Lord of the Dance, which was also sung at her public memorial service at Guildford Cathedral earlier this month. A moment's silence was held in memory of Sarah and the mourners left the church as Find My Way Home, by Vangelis, was played over the loudspeakers.

Mr Whitehead walked in front as the coffin was carried outside and Sarah's parents followed behind with their arms around each other, weeping as the coffin was placed back in its glass carriage. The single white cross which had been been on top of her coffin was placed in the centre of the sea of flowers around her graveside. The card on it read: "We miss you Princess. We'll be together again one day. Daddy and Mummy."