Jo Yeates Laid To Rest In Hampshire

The parents of murdered Bristol landscape architect Jo Yeates have attended her funeral in the Hampshire village where she grew up.

The ceremony to commemorate the life of the 25-year-old was held at St Mark's Church in Ampfield, near Romsey.

The wicker coffin, carried by pallbearers provided by the funeral service, was followed by Miss Yeates's parents, David and Theresa.

The coffin was adorned with daffodils, small sunflowers and assorted other spring flowers. The parents were followed by her brother Chris, his partner Alla Ritch and her son.

Behind them were Miss Yeates's boyfriend Greg Reardon, his mother, with his father and brother Frank at the rear. Many of the mourners, some of them travelling from the Bristol area, arrived early at the picturesque village church.

Earlier rain cleared, leaving the church and its wooded surrounding shrouded in a fine mist as friends and family members arrived. The service was led by the vicar of Ampfield, the Rev Peter Gilks.

It is understood that the service was "very sombre'' as the family felt unable to undertake a "celebration'' as Miss Yeates's life was cut so short.

The church was chosen as it has close links to the family and it was where Miss Yeates was christened. The service was followed by a private interment attended by only very close family members and invited guests.

Miss Yeates worked as a landscape architect at the Bristol office of design firm BDP, alongside Mr Reardon, 27. She disappeared on Friday December 17 after going for Christmas drinks with colleagues.

The university graduate's frozen body was found dumped on a verge in Longwood Lane, Failand, North Somerset, on Christmas Day, three miles from her home in Canynge Road, Clifton, Bristol.