FELIXSTOWE: A hundred bright balloons floated up to the sky as friends and family said a tearful goodbye to a fun-loving teenager.

Chloe Kendall tragically lost her life to cystic fibrosis – the disease she has battled since she was born – at the age of just 16.

But more than 150 mourners at her funeral in St Mary’s Church, Walton, yesterday celebrated the vibrant youngster’s life in the most appropriate way – by releasing orange balloons, the same colour as the prom dress she wore last year, with her name on them.

Tributes were paid to the “vibrant, fun-loving and brave” teenager who often helped younger visitors at the hospice where she received respite care during the later years of her illness.

Reverend Helen Davey, who led the service, said: “Chloe has always shown great guts and determination, refusing to let her disease hold her back.

“Her smile lit up every room.

“She was inspirational, brave, strong and determined, and she showed great maturity.”

Friends and family threw their arms around each other in comfort as touching songs by Westlife and Faith Hill moved the packed church to tears.

Chloe, whose younger brother Aaron also suffers from the disease, had planned the funeral herself.

Pupils at Chloe’s former school in Leiston, where she lived until she moved with her family to Felixstowe’s Maidstone Road two and a half years ago, have already set up a garden in memory of her.

Sister Leah, who was there with mum Gayle Pallant and siblings Morgan and Aaron, also read a moving poem to Chloe, a pupil at Orwell High School.

A tribute in the order of service highlighted the teenager’s wicked sense of humour, talent for nail art and her fiery nature.

It added: “Chloe grew into a young lady of amazing courage.

“She battled for 16 years with cystic fibrosis, before finally passing away to a better place to be at peace as she truly deserves.”

n Would you like to pay your tribute to Chloe? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or you can send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk