Mourners line streets for ‘Our Sam’
FAMILY AND FRIENDS PAY RESPECTS TO TRAGIC TEENAGER
MOURNERS lined the streets to pay respects to popular teenager killed on a motorway.
Sam Berkley, 14, was found unconscious on the hard shoulder of the M67 earlier this month.
His heartbroken relatives, teachers and young friends attended a packed funeral service at Christ Church in Denton on Wednesday.
Two black horses draped in Manchester United flags led the procession past Audenshaw School before arriving at the church at 1pm.
Sam’s coffin had the words ‘The Theatre of Dreams,’ the nickname for United’s Old Trafford stadium.
The Audenshaw School pupil was a talented young footballer himself and had recently started playing for Hattersley FC.
Many of his young teammates and coaches wore Hattersley shirts and ties to the funeral.
The moving service included a reading written by Sam’s grandparents, called ‘Our Sam.’
His form tutor from Audenshaw School, Sam Wilkinson, paid tribute and the school choir performed the hymn ‘Jerusalem’ during the service.
Sam’s coffin was carried out to ‘Unbreakable’ by Westlife and a private burial followed.
Sam lived in Denton with parents Sarah and Gary.
He also had an older brother Scott, 21, and a sister Charlie, 20. He had just become an uncle to his brother’s newborn baby, Lily.
Following Sam’s death police established he had been hit by a grey convertible BMW near junction three for Hyde.