Crowds line Brownhills High Street to pay respects to baby Ciaran
Scores of people lined a Black Country high street to pay their respects to a two-week-old baby tragically killed when his pram was hit by a car.
A huge funeral procession - led by a white carriage and horses - passed through Brownhills High Street on Wednesday, featuring a blue smoke flare - mirroring the blue ribbons which have lined the road since the death of Ciaran Leigh Morris on Easter Sunday.
Ciaran was being pushed along the pavement by his family in High Street, Brownhills, Walsall, at about 4pm on April 4, when he suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
Banners, flowers and soft toys were displayed paying tribute to the infant, while a large number of motorcyclists rode alongside the funeral procession bearing blue ribbons.
The funeral was held at St John's Walsall Wood, where Rev. David Babbington is the minister in charge.
He said: "It was a beautiful occasion where the family were able to come together and give thanks for the gift of the child, but there was great grief at the same time and we had to acknowledge that grief.
"There was music played which was chosen by the family and a special poem which was written by the father.
"Funerals like this are always very difficult to deal with because you have to be honest about the situation and deal with what's actually happening to the parents at the time and acknowledge the grief.
"What you're also doing is bringing together the grief and love, which is shown from the parents to their son and so we're trying to celebrate the love of their son and the gift that their song has been to them and, hopefully, that is what we did today.
"I think, from their point of view, there is a real time of grief, but they have handled it with great dignity, which is incredible for two people so young to have handled it so well.
"The whole community has come together as well and I'm certainly aware of the fact of how much this has affected the whole community, which you can see by the bows that have gone everywhere.
"There's also been a real outpouring of love, which has been felt by everybody in the community and by the family."
Wendy Morton, MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, said: "This was a terrible tragedy and my thoughts and sympathies are with the parents and family of baby Ciaran.
"The support and response shown from across the Brownhills community has been tremendous and I hope it is of some comfort to the family to know that so many are thinking of them at such a difficult and sad time."
The miner statue in Brownhills town centre was decorated with a blue garland in Ciaran's memory this week.
Ciaran’s heartbroken parents Camaron Morris and Codie Holyman had previously visited the scene in the High Street to tie the first blue ribbons to the railings where the tragedy happened on Easter Sunday.
Since then, more floral tributes, ribbons, teddies, balloons and messages have been left at the scene with blue ribbons now stretching around the town.
Rev. Elizabeth Dunning, Minister for Brownhills Methodist Church, said: "It's heartbreaking, obviously, for the parents, who are so young themselves.
"Babies represent hope and to have that taken away from them so tragically in such a way has really hurt the community as well it would hurt any community.
"I think it reminded them of losing Mylee a couple of years ago as well, but what we've seen is the community rallying together to support the family and show them love and care.
"I do know that quite a bit of money has been raised by the community to support the family and the tributes on the high street have been very moving."
A JustGiving page, which was set up to support Ciaran’s family, has now raised nearly £40,000.
