Village at standstill for driver's funeral
A Shropshire village came to a standstill as hundreds of people attended the funeral of a teenager who was killed in a road accident. A Shropshire village came to a standstill as hundreds of people attended the funeral of a teenager who was killed in a road accident. Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, fell silent for the funeral of 18-year-old Sophie Marilla Rowlands, of Plealey, yesterday. A tractor and trailer bore the coffin to St George's Church in the village , where up to 1,000 mourners dressed in pink attended the funeral and a burial at Pontesbury Cemetery. Friends, relatives and colleagues of the teenager, who died last month, then released hundreds of helium balloons into the sky to mark the day. Read the full story in the Shropshire Star.
Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, fell silent for the funeral of 18-year-old Sophie Marilla Rowlands, of Plealey, yesterday.
A tractor and trailer bore the coffin to St George's Church in the village , where up to 1,000 mourners dressed in pink attended the funeral and a burial at Pontesbury Cemetery.
Friends, relatives and colleagues of the teenager, who died last month, then released hundreds of helium balloons into the sky to mark the day.
Reverend Sylvia Turner, who oversaw the ceremony, said it was one of the most well-attended funerals since she had come to the church.
She said: "Everyone wore an item of pink and many people had helium balloons which were released during the burial."
The service began with the singing of All Things Bright and Beautiful and also featured the singing of Sing Hosanna.
A poem about best friends called "My Poem For You" was also read out.
It read: "A best friends is like a flower, a rose to be exact, or maybe like a new gate that's never ever unlatched.
"A best friend is like an owl both beautiful and wise, maybe a best friend is like a ghost, whose spirit never dies.
"A best friend is like a heart beating strong until the end, where would I be in this world if I didn't have you?"
A total of 1,072 people have also signed up to a tribute group set up on social networking website Facebook and posted messages of condolence.
In a statement, her parents Sue and Richard Rowlands said: "We want to thank everyone for their support."
Sophie, 18 died when her Vauxhall Corsa was in collision with a grain lorry near Shawbury on the A53 at about 5pm on January 25.
Last week, her parents paid tribute to their "beautiful, bubbly" daughter.
They said: "Our beautiful, bubbly daughter Sophie was the best daughter you could wish for. She was loved by many people, including her large family, her many friends and especially her boyfriend and soulmate Randy, whom she thought the world of. Sophie loved life and lived it to the full. She will be dearly missed but her smile will never be forgotten."
