MOURNERS gathered at an Ipswich church to pay an emotional farewell to a ten-year-old crash victim.

Rebecca Lefort

MOURNERS gathered at an Ipswich church to pay an emotional farewell to a ten-year-old crash victim.

Family and friends of Joanne Dockett bid a sorrowful farewell to the Whitton Primary School pupil at her funeral at St Mary and St Botolph Church yesterday.

A hearse carrying Joanne's small coffin led a procession from her Byron Road home to the church, where the community gathered to say goodbye.

Joanne died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on August 8 - six days after she was involved in a collision with a car close to her house.

Reverend Andrew Dotchin, who led the service at the church in Whitton Church Lane, said: “I was comforted by the great number of people who attended and supported the family.

“It was heart-warming to see the support of the community and even into the evening people were coming to be at the graveside.

“A lot of the people there were children, friends of Joanne.

“It was a celebration of her life but there were tears.”

During yesterday's service Ann Taylor, the headteacher of Joannne's school, gave a reading, and prayers were led by Angela Parobij, a governor at the school.

Hymns during the service included Father I Place Into Your Hands, Jesus Loves Me, and One More Step. The song Sweet About Me by Gabriella Cilmi was also played.

After her death Joanne's parents, Janet and Michael, said: “Our little Joanne was one of the liveliest children in the street and was someone who was so full of beans she could not sit still for any moment of the day.

“She goes leaving a very large hole in our lives and her mum and dad, and her sisters Sarah and Louise will keep her memory alive forever.”

An inquest into Joanne's death has been opened and adjourned, pending further investigations.

To pay your tributes to Joanne Dockett write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.