Hundreds pay respects to ‘top lass’ who died shielding her family from Arena bomb
COFFIN ARRIVED AT CEMETERY IN A WHITE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE
HUNDREDS of people paid their respects to a music-lover and ‘top lass’ who died shielding her sister and niece from the bomb at Manchester Arena.
Kelly Brewster, 32, from Sheffield, was one of the 22 innocent people killed in the attack on May 22.
Family, friends and members of the public gathered at Kelly’s hometown to celebrate her life and say goodbye during an emotional service on Friday afternoon.
Her coffin, surrounded by flowers spelling out ‘Auntie Kelly,’ arrived at City Road Cemetery in a white horsedrawn carriage.
Kelly had been to the Ariana Grande concert with her sister Claire Booth and niece Hollie, 11, when the bomb was detonated. Her family say she had thrown herself in the way in a bid to shield her sister and niece from the blast.
At the start of the funeral service, Rev Ben Oliver appealed to friends and family to try to put aside any thoughts of anger and instead celebrate Kelly’s life.
“Her’s was a beautiful life. Full of love, full of vitality, full of youth and indeed full of hope for the future,” Rev Oliver said.
“That’s what we choose to focused on today. We focus our attention in Kelly and the life she lived.
“There is a temptation to spend our time thinking about why we are here rather than honouring the person we are remembering.
“Today is not a time to relive and reflect on the dreadful events in Manchester Arena.
“Today we choose to put Kelly in the spotlight.
“We do have to think about the others who were caught up in the attack and the victims and their friends who are trying to rebuild their lives.
“We should not be here, however, here we are. We rightfully feel robbed today.”
Friends and family shared their most-treasured memories of Kelly, who was described as huge pop music fan and concert-goer, and the ‘life and soul of any party.’
She had travelled the world and had been looking forward to moving into a new home with her partner Ian and his daughter Phoebe. The 32-year-old ‘most of all’ had been looking forward to starting a family of her own, her relatives said.
A moving poem written by her nieces Hollie and Demi was read out during