Tears and flowers as Bali dead remembered

Relatives of the Bali bomb victims told of their anguish today after attending the first anniversary memorial service.

More than 1,500 people gathered for the ceremony which took place at one of Bali’s spiritual landmarks in Jimbaran.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard gave an emotional speech before hundreds of mourners placed flowers in a pool of remembrance.

The names of 202 individuals who died in last October’s attack were read out before a silent crowd.

The enormity of the tragedy sank in as it took more than 20 minutes to work through the list.

Today’s service, based on a Christian theme, was both formal and dignified with hymns, readings and songs.

When Australian performer John Williamson took up his guitar to sing Waltzing Matilda, many relatives broke down.

Sue Cooper, from Densole in Kent in England, who lost her brother Paul Hussey, described the service as “incredibly sad”.

She said: “It really was very, very sad.”

At the ceremony, she met her brother’s estranged wife for the first time. “I had to introduce her to all the family, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do,” she said.

At a private meeting after the service, Mrs Cooper said a pre-recorded message of condolence from the Prince of Wales was played.

“Nothing from Tony Blair or the Queen, but something from the Prince of Wales which was nice,” she said.

The grieving sister went on to describe her encounter with the Australian Prime Minister.

“He was just sobbing his heart out,” she said.

Mr Howard seemed genuinely upset and spent a great deal of time hugging and talking to the relatives.

The scenes at today’s ceremony were heart-breaking as burly rugby players, many wearing black armbands, sobbed and hugged each other.

One man in his 50s clutched a koala bear soft toy and stared into the pool of remembrance, fighting back the tears.

As mourners made their way sadly from the vast open air amphitheatre, which was surrounded by limestone outcrops of rock, John Lennon’s Imagine could be heard.