Friends and family of tragic schoolgirl Lauren Bronka packed St Thomas' Church, Brentwood for a moving funeral service last week.

The 17-year-old Brentwood School student, from Ingrave, died after failing to recover from a series of asthma attacks.

The service was conducted by the school's chaplain, the Rev David Gilchrist, who read a touching letter Lauren had written to her parents in October.

She and her 15-year-old brother Matthew had been boarding at the school since 1997 because of their parents' international travelling.

Her father, Mark, is a senior executive with the Ford Motor Company.

Lauren was the head of the Mill Hill Boarding House in Middleton Hall Lane and was one of the school's most popular students.

Her death was described by head teacher John Kelsall as "very tragic and a great loss."

Some of the mourners wore memorial ribbons which had been sold by Lauren's fellow sixth formers at Brentwood School, with proceeds going to an asthma research charity.

Friends and relations read tributes to Lauren, and the Brentwood School choir sang the hymns The Lord is my Shepherd and Like as the Hart Desireth the Waterbrooks.

The congregation sang Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven and Jerusalem.

Donations went to the Asthma Research Campaign and the Intensive Care Unit at Havering Hospitals Charities.

The private committal took place at Chelmsford Crematorium.

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