GRIMETHORPE came to a standstill last Friday as villagers said an emotional farewell to teenager Amber Worth.
Police closed the road outside St Luke’s Church, workmen on the building site opposite halted work and hundreds of residents braved the driving rain to pay their last respects.
Nearly 400 mourners crammed into church while hundreds more including teachers and school friends from Willowgarth High stood outside listening to the funeral service being played over a PA system.
Members of the fire brigade who tried to rescue her when she was crushed by a boulder while playing with friends in a quarry at Grimethorpe three weeks' ago were also among the mourners.
Her white coffin adorned with white lilies was carried into church by members of her family to the tune of James Blunt’s ‘You’re Beautiful’.
Thirteen candles had been lit inside the church - one for each of her years - and almost all her friends were in tears.
Father Peter Needham spoke of the ‘free spirit who just loved life’.
