Family and friends of Soho nail bomb Andrea Dykes gathered to say their final farewells.

The packed church of mourners heard the mother-to-be's death had left an "aching gap that would never be filled".

Among those at an emotionally-charged service was Andrea's husband Julian who returned to the church where the sweethearts wed less than two years ago.

Dozens filed silently into the picturesque parish church of St Mary in Wivenhoe to pay their last respects to Andrea, 27, who died in the blast at the Admiral Duncan pub in London's West End.

Customers from the Old Compton Street pub, a favourite among the gay community, lined the pews alongside Andrea's closest family and friends.

They heard bingo hall worker Andrea, four months pregnant at the time of her murder, had planned to name her first child Jordan.

The Rev Father Paul Fox said: "As we commend Andrea to the loving care of Our Lord, we also commend that little living heartbeat, that little four-month life she carried within her.

"I don't think anyone could doubt that Andrea would have made a great mum, and most probably was a great mum, nourishing that little life growing inside of her."

The congregation sung All Things Bright And Beautiful, Make Me A Channel For Your Peace and I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky.

A close friend of Andrea's stepped into the pulpit to recite the moving poem Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep.

And as the coffin was carried from the church, mourners cried openly as Andrea's favourite song, Angels, by Robbie Williams, was played.

A touching floral tribute, spelling Angel, was also laid with the coffin in the hearse.

The Rev Father Fox added: "We have come together to be sad, to cry together. We're also here to celebrate the life of a good, good lady."

He said: "Our memories of Andrea were of a lady full of love and warmth, a love that took people for who they were, standing no nonsense from anyone; a lady with a great sense humour.

"Her life has been shockingly brief and her being taken away leaves us all with an aching gap that will never be filled."

Andrea, who took the full brunt of the blast, died instantly at the scene of the carnage on April 30. The couple, of Taragona Mews, Colchester, had stopped for a drink in the busy pub and had planned to watch a West End musical.

John Light, 32, best man at the Dykes's wedding, treated the couple to tickets after being chosen as godfather of their child. He was also killed by the explosion along with another friend Nik Moore, 31.

Computer programmer Julian suffered serious injuries including extensive burns and nails lodged in his lungs. He was in a coma for weeks, unaware that his wife and child had been murdered.

The evening before Andrea's funeral a special mass was taken at St James the Less and St Helen's in Priory Street, Colchester.

Relatives mourn at Andrea's funeral

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