Family bids final farewell to slain British student

THE family of murdered British student Meredith Kercher finally laid her to rest after a moving service yesterday.

Ms Kercher, 21, from south London, was found dead with her throat cut at her home in Perugia, Italy, in November.

Her body was flown home 10 days’ later, but her family was only given the go-ahead to bury her a fortnight ago when police said there would not be a second postmortem.

Ms Kercher, who was on a year-long exchange, was murdered on the night of November 1. Police said there was evidence of a violent sexual encounter.

Her American flatmate Amanda Knox, 20; Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 23; and Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, remain in custody in Italy.

Congolese bar owner Diya “Patrick” Lumumba, 38, has been released from prison, but remains a suspect in the case. All four deny any involvement.

Several hundred mourners including dozens of university friends packed Croydon Parish Church, in south London, to mark her life.

Ms Kercher’s parents, Arline and John, her sister Stephanie and brothers John and Lyle led the tributes during the colourful hour-long service.

The vicar of Croydon, the Reverend Colin Boswell, said it aimed to bring some “light and life” into a “dark situation”.

Well-wishers listened to a moving address by her brother Lyle and a specially-composed poem read by her sister Stephanie.

The church was decorated with colourful floral tributes including the word “Mez”, Ms Kercher’s nickname, spelt out in small yellow flowers.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Boswell said: “It was very moving but there was some laughter as her brother thought about things about her life which were not sad.

“It is important at a funeral like this that we try to remember things that are happy and good. Or else only evil and not very creative things take over and we have got to try and rise above that.”

Ms Kercher’s coffin and limousines carrying her family were decorated with flowers and photographs of the young woman.

Among the tributes was also a small bouquet with a card marked “The City of Perugia” while another tribute read simply: “You will always be in our hearts.”

The funeral was followed by a private burial.