MOURNERS packed into a parish church to pay their last respects to a schoolboy who died in a house fire.

Following an emotional funeral service, on Saturday, the flower-laden coffin of Liam Blakelock, eight, was carried away to the sounds of Eric Clapton's song Tears in Heaven - written in memory of the musician's own tragic son.

Opening his eulogy, the Reverend Dr Robert Innes spoke of the blow that had left the community feeling stunned, shocked and fearful.

The loss of a child, he said, was one of the most painful experiences for a family.

Liam died when fire swept through his home in Broome Road, Carrville, Durham, at about 6.30pm on Tuesday, March 8.

Firefighters were able to rescue his three-year-old brother, Shaun, who was with his unconscious mother, Kathryn, 38.

Shaun spent a week in the intensive care unit at Newcastle General Hospital, before being transferred to University Hospital of North Durham. Mrs Blakelock was treated for smoke inhalation, but released the following day.

Her husband, Gordon, and 13-year-old daughter, Helen, were not in the house at the time.

Shaun, who is making a good recovery, joined the rest of his family, including grandfather Bill Blakelock at St Mary Magdalene Church, in Carrville.

Each person in the cortege carried a white or red rose, while tributes included condolences from hospital staff.

During the service, relayed outside on a PA system Mr Innes said: "Liam was a happy, peacable and peace-loving little boy. He didn't get into trouble, and he didn't like it when other people were upset. He was respectful and sensitive. He enjoyed football, swimming, his play station.

"He idolised his father, and especially loved sharing a cola and a pickled egg with his dad at the club. As Gordon has put it: 'He was not just my lad, he was my best friend'."

Addressing Liam's parents, he said: "You will certainly need to be drawing together very close as a family to support one another.

"And for the sake of Helen and little Shaun, I hope that you will find the strength and the resolve to go on, and to rebuild a shattered family life."

Investigations into the fire are still continuing, but police said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.

l The Northern Echo attended the funeral with the family's permission.