Last farewell to Charlotte, 16

The centre of a small Shropshire village came to a standstill today as the funeral of teenager Charlotte Hartey, who died after her tonsillitis was diagnosed as swine flu, was held at her local church.

Hundreds of grief-stricken teenagers packed into St John's Church in Weston Rhyn, near Oswestry, to join family members in celebrating the life of the popular 16-year-old pupil.

The horse-drawn carriage pulled by two beautifully groomed black horses entered the church courtyard and six of Charlotte's friends acted as pall bearers and took the coffin into the church.

Her father Karl, of Quinta, near Weston Rhyn, arrived at the church wearing a pink tie, his daughter's favourite colour, while Charlotte's mother, Helen, walked into church clutching her daughter's teddy bear.

There was standing room only in the village church as mourners, many unable to hide their grief, listened to tributes to the teenager.

Her parents said they were determined that her funeral service should mark the Oswestry School pupil's zest for fun and friendship .

Oswestry school headmaster Paul Stockdale spoke of his great shock at her loss and her father and her elder brother Tristan also paid their own personal tributes.

A compilation of her favourite songs was played, intertwined with a selection of upbeat hymns.

Health chiefs are investigating the care given to the teenager after she was initially diagnosed over the phone by a GP with swine flu.

She was later found to have tonsillitis.