FRIENDS and neighbours tossed flowers atop the white horse-drawn carriage as it slowly passed Lucy Candlish’s home on Moorview and clip-clopped its way to her funeral.
Hundreds of people lined the streets of Blackhill, near Consett, respecting the wishes of the 19-year-old’s family, that they should wear something pink in her honour.
Angel, by Katherine Jenkins, played as she was carried in a pink coffin into St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, which would have been packed if not for the Covid restrictions on numbers.
Instead, mourners, some with tear-streamed faces, stood outside the grounds, placed flowers at the church gates and tried to follow the service over a live feed on their mobile phones.
Floral tributes on the ornate glass-sided carriage spelled out ‘Sister’ and ‘Our Lucy’.
The white horses, Shandy, an Andalusian, and Elwood, an Irish draught, with their pink plumes and embroidered drapes, stood patiently.
Inside the church, Lucy’s nearest and dearest said goodbye to the popular teenager who was found dead on February 3, three days after going missing.
Why she would take her own life has mystified and devastated those who knew her best.
In life, she had worked as a carer, providing love and kindness to those in need of palliative treatment.
On Wednesday, the close-knit community showed how much it had, in turn, cared for her.
Funeral of Lucy Candlish in Blackhill, Consett
In a moving and heartfelt eulogy, written by Lucy’s older sister, Beverley, Sandra Thompson said: “She had a smile that could light up any room and her laugh was contagious.
“She was the most fun loving, thoughtful and pure soul.
“She would do anything for anyone and got so much joy out of making others happy.
“She was unbelievably caring.
"Just look at the job she ended up in, end-of-life care.
“In fact, Lucy was so loving and caring that she cared too much, which often left her carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
"This troubled world was just too much for her to comprehend.”
Lucy’s family has launched a mental health charity in her name, Lucy’s Legacy, and have already raised thousands of pounds to help others.
Lucy Candlish
The eulogy continued: “She was so loved and adored by so many.
"If love could have saved her, she would still be here today.”
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