Hundreds at funeral for tragic teenager Christina Edkins - Video
[gallery] Friends and family were paying their final respects at the funeral of murdered schoolgirl Christina Edkins today, as her family released a new picture of the teenager.
Hundreds attended the service at St Phillips Cathedral, in Birmingham, for the teenager, who was stabbed to death on a bus in the city.
Christina's pure white coffin was adorned with purple and white flowers which arrived at the cathedral by horse-drawn carriage.
Five pallbearers carried her coffin into the cathedral while the song One Thing by the teenager's favourite band One Direction was played.
Her devastated parents Jason and Kathleen Edkins wrote on a card next to her coffin: "Our beautiful princess Christina, we will always miss you and you will live in our hearts forever, mummy and daddy xxx."
The couple, who encouraged Christina to attend a school out of Birmingham so she could get a better education and pursue her dream of being a nurse, also wrote a poem to their daughter.
It read: "We love you more than anything, more than words can say, you meant the world to us, bringing happiness every day. A daughter and sister, always in our heart, you will stay with us forever, even though we have to part. "A beautiful teenager, a princess through and through, even if you are not here, our thoughts will always be of you."
Outside the cathedral mourners gathered to see the coffin being carried inside, while around 600 people packed inside the cathedral.
Leasowes High School, in Halesowen, where the 16-year-old was a pupil, was closed today to allow children and staff to join her family at the service.
Today her cousin, Stephen Newby, made an emotional statement on behalf of Christina's family in the cathedral before the service.
Click to watch the full statement
Mr Newby said: "We are devastated that she should have been taken away so senselessly, and continue to try and come to terms with what has happened. We have been overwhelmed and comforted by the spontaneous reactions of so many people.
"We hope that justice will now be done, and Christina will be able to rest peacefully."
The popular teenager died from a single stab wound to the chest after being attacked as she travelled on the number nine bus along Birmingham's Hagley Road on March 7.
Christina had been on her way to school and was sitting on the top deck of the bus at the time of the attack. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Phillip Simelane, 22, from Walsall has been charged with her murder.
The Very Revd Catherine Ogle, Dean of Birmingham, said: "It is a sad privilege for Birmingham Cathedral to conduct the funeral for Christina, and we extend heart-felt sympathy and prayers to her family and friends.
"This death is very hard to bear and we ask all those who mourn the loss of this lovely and bright young woman to join us in prayer.
"Our space in the Cathedral is limited, and entry to the funeral needs to be restricted, but where ever people are they can join in prayer for comfort and peace for all those affected by Christina's tragic death."
Her family, parents Kathleen and Jason, brother Ryan and half-sister Joanne have previously spoke of their heartbreak at her loss.
They described Christina, who lived in Ladywood, as their "beautiful princess" and an amazing individual who had her whole life in front of her.
Since her death, a book of condolence has opened at St Peter's Church in Lapal, Halesowen and shops have raised thousands of pounds in her memory.
More than £2,000 has been collected at supermarkets and shops across the Black Country for Christina's family.
Several music videos with songs dedicated to Christina, uploaded to social network website YouTube, have tens of thousands of views.
One video of a rap song created in her memory even has almost 100,000 hits.
One of those who made a song for her is close schoolfriend Dariess Davey, whose video has been seen almost 15,000 times.
In it he sings about how close the two were, and remembers conversations they shared including a time when she supported him following the death of a grandparent.
Called simply RIP Christina, the song includes the line: "It wasn't a friend, it was a sister we lost." He also sings: "I hope you are looking down on the Leasowes team and your family."
