Funeral of April Jones to go ahead as inquest ends

The parents of April Jones can at last begin to plan their daughter’s funeral after an inquest into her death was concluded.

The five-year-old was snatched outside her home in Machynlleth, mid-Wales, last October before being murdered by Mark Bridger.

The 47-year-old refused to tell police what he had done with April’s body — although officers recovered fragments of her skull from his fireplace.

Bridger was later convicted of her murder and will die behind bars.

The 17 tiny pieces of bone is all that her mother Coral and father Paul have left of their daughter.

Powys coroner Louise Hunt said she hoped the conclusion of April’s inquest would be a small comfort to the family.

“I want to extend my sympathies for your terrible loss. There will be no further formal proceedings and I hope the coming to an end of them will give you time to allow you to deal with your grief.”

Detective Superintendent Andy John read a brief outline of the circumstances surrounding April’s death.

April’s family reported she had been abducted at 7.20pm on Oct 1 last year.

The officer said that April’s body had never been found, but she suffered a “violent death”.

And on the “balance of probabilities”, April died at Bridger’s remote home in Mount Pleasant, Ceinws, on Oct 1.

Following the hearing, a death certificate can be issued, allowing her family to have an official funeral.