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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Mourners wear fancy dress for Ben | Mourners wear fancy dress for Ben |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Friends of stab victim Ben Kinsella celebrated his life by turning up to his funeral wearing fancy dress. | Friends of stab victim Ben Kinsella celebrated his life by turning up to his funeral wearing fancy dress. |
| Many people wore colourful wigs and large sunglasses as they paid their last respects to Ben, 16, who was stabbed in north London last month. | Many people wore colourful wigs and large sunglasses as they paid their last respects to Ben, 16, who was stabbed in north London last month. |
| Others attending the service at St John's the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Islington, north London, wore T-shirts bearing anti-knife slogans. | Others attending the service at St John's the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Islington, north London, wore T-shirts bearing anti-knife slogans. |
| About 1,000 people, including the local MP and TV actors, attended the service. | About 1,000 people, including the local MP and TV actors, attended the service. |
| Ben's sister, former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, 24, said: "Please, please let us learn from Ben and every other child that has been stolen from us." | Ben's sister, former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, 24, said: "Please, please let us learn from Ben and every other child that has been stolen from us." |
| Ben's close friend Brooke Dunford, 16, said: "He wouldn't have wanted everyone to wear black." | Ben's close friend Brooke Dunford, 16, said: "He wouldn't have wanted everyone to wear black." |
| 'Saddest day' | 'Saddest day' |
| Miss Dunford was among the first to arrive for the funeral which was followed by a private ceremony at St Pancras and Islington Cemetery. | Miss Dunford was among the first to arrive for the funeral which was followed by a private ceremony at St Pancras and Islington Cemetery. |
| Outside the church she laid a bunch of flowers with a note which read: "The most saddest day of my life, Ben, when I lost you. | Outside the church she laid a bunch of flowers with a note which read: "The most saddest day of my life, Ben, when I lost you. |
| I'm not scared any more. There's no weight on my shoulders, no struggle A line from Ben's poem | I'm not scared any more. There's no weight on my shoulders, no struggle A line from Ben's poem |
| "I will hold you in my heart forever, I love you, you hottie." | "I will hold you in my heart forever, I love you, you hottie." |
| Former EastEnders actresses Gillian Taylforth and Michelle Ryan and MP for Islington North Jeremy Corbyn were among those present at the funeral. | |
| Also in attendance was Richard Taylor, whose 10-year-old son Damilola was stabbed to death with broken glass in November 2000 in Peckham, south east London. | |
| Mourners heard a poem written by Ben and a letter addressed to him by his mother after his death. | Mourners heard a poem written by Ben and a letter addressed to him by his mother after his death. |
| A verse from his poem read: "So what comes next for me? God knows. I don't. | A verse from his poem read: "So what comes next for me? God knows. I don't. |
| "This is my home now and I've never felt better. | "This is my home now and I've never felt better. |
| "I'm not scared any more. There's no weight on my shoulders, no struggle. | "I'm not scared any more. There's no weight on my shoulders, no struggle. |
| "Let's just see what a future here brings. But at the moment, this is living. Not death." | "Let's just see what a future here brings. But at the moment, this is living. Not death." |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Funeral for Ben Kinsella held | Funeral for Ben Kinsella held |
| One of Ben's favourite songs, "The Girls" by Calvin Harris, was played at the service. | One of Ben's favourite songs, "The Girls" by Calvin Harris, was played at the service. |
| Ben was stabbed several times when a fight spilled out of a pub into York Way on 29 June. | Ben was stabbed several times when a fight spilled out of a pub into York Way on 29 June. |
| Juries Kika and Michael Allende, both 18, and Jade Braithwaite, 19, are due to appear at the Old Bailey in October charged with Ben's murder. | Juries Kika and Michael Allende, both 18, and Jade Braithwaite, 19, are due to appear at the Old Bailey in October charged with Ben's murder. |
| Ben was the 17th teenager to die in violent circumstances in London this year. | Ben was the 17th teenager to die in violent circumstances in London this year. |
| Earlier this month up to 400 protesters marched in Upper Street, Islington, to the scene of the killing to demand an end to knife crime. | Earlier this month up to 400 protesters marched in Upper Street, Islington, to the scene of the killing to demand an end to knife crime. |