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Heart-breaking scene as six little white coffins containing bodies of the Philpott children who died in house fire arrive for their funeral

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• *Parents Mick and Mairead who have been charged with murdering all six children in the blaze did not attend funeral
• *Mourners told to wear bright colours
• *Horses wore pink and blue plumes of feathers instead of traditional black
• *Each child's coffin bore their name in either pink or blue and an emblem including toy soldiers and a pink princess
• *Order of service described each child's personality and their quirks 
• *Hundreds gathered for funeral, a 90-minute requiem mass with prayers and poems
• *Canon Alan Burbidge: 'There is sadness in parting, but we take comfort in the hope that one day we shall see them again and enjoy their friendship'
• *Children will be buried in Chaddesden cemetery during a private service for the family 

By AMY OLIVER

They were told to wear bright colours in order to celebrate the lives of six innocent children killed after a house fire tore through their home.

But mourners could not contain their grief when the six little white coffins containing the bodies of the Duwayne, 13, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and five-year-old Jayden Philpott arrived on horse-drawn carriages at St Mary's Catholic Church in Derby town centre this morning.

Jade and four of her brothers died when the devastating fire engulfed their home in Allenton, Derby, in the earlier hours of May 11. Their older brother Duwayne died two days later in Birmingham Children's Hospital. 

Hundreds of family members, friends and members of the public wishing to pay their respects gathered at the church and on a foot bridge opposite to watch as the funeral cortege arrived.

The hearse carrying Jade's coffin had led the procession with a horse sporting a pink plume of feathers. Five more carriages with horses wearing blue feathers followed, carrying Jade's brothers.

The children's parents Mick, 55, and Mairead, 31, who have been charged with murdering all six in the May 11 blaze, were not allowed to attend the funeral.

Respect: A man throws rose petals over Jade Philpott's coffin as her step brother Mikey, (bottom left) helps to carry it out of St Mary's Catholic Church in Derby town centre following the children's funeral service

Emotional: Pallbearers had tears in their eyes as they carried the Children's coffins out of the church while family and friends sobbed and hugged each other

Final journey: The children will now be taken to Nottingham Road Cemetery, Chaddesden to be buried in a private service for the family 

Tragic end: Five of the six children died in the blaze at the semi-detached house in Allenton, Derby, in the early hours of May 11. Duwayne died two days later in Birmingham Children's Hospital

As the drizzle fell and onlookers wept, the children's coffins were lifted gently out and up onto the shoulders of more than 20 pallbearers as they slowly made their way into the church. Jade's step-brother Mikey, 14, looked devastated as he helped to carry her coffin.

Each coffin bore the child's name in blue for the boys and pink for Jade, who also had a pink princess printed on the front. The boys also had emblems on their coffins, each different, a fitting tribute to their personalities. John's featured a picture of toy soldiers, Duwayne's the Derby County emblem.

Jade, obviously a big fan of pink had a spray of crimson roses on top of her coffin, while the boys had yellow and white flowers. Family members and friends wept as they threw yellow roses in front of the procession before it disappeared into the church.

The full requiem mass led by Canon Alan Burbidge, started with the greeting of the coffins outside as the church bells rang out across Derby. After the children's symbols - the same as had featured on their coffins - were placed, a reading from the first letter of St John, Chapter 3: verses 1-2 was read before prayers were said for each of the children and for the fire service who did their best to save them.

One read: 'We pray for all those women and men who work in our emergency services, especially those of the fire service who risk their lives in the service of others. Lord give them the courage and strength to carry out their duties in the knowledge that they are all in our thoughts and prayers.'

Through the streets: The carriage holding Jade's coffin led the cortege as it passed through the Derby streets following the emotional funeral today

Pink fan: White horses with plumes of pink feathers and pink flags pulled the pink carriage containing Jade's coffin

 

 
No expense spared: The children also had their names spelled out in floral tributes that rested on top of each of the carriages 

Canon Burbidge then told the congregation: 'Trusting in God, we have prayed together for Duwayne, Jade, John, Jack, Jesse and Jayden, and now we come to the last farewell.

'There is sadness in parting, but we take comfort in the hope that one day we shall see them again and enjoy their friendship.'

A poem read out during the service called Angels on High included the lines: 'And when you have a moment, just close your eyes, for they are all only a breath away, in heaven there are no goodbyes.

'Duwayne, Jade, John, Jack, Jesse and Jayden, in the arms of angels fly away'

The moving service lasted for 90 minutes before the coffins were carried out of the church and down the road to the waiting carriages for the two-mile journey to the private burial in Nottingham Road Cemetery, Chaddesden, two miles out of the city. 

Members of the public gathered outside to pay their respects as the procession passed, some threw rose petals as family and friends sobbed and hugged each other.

Solemn: The coffins of Jade, 10, Jayden, five and Jessie, six, are carried into St Mary's Catholic Church in Derby town centre ahead of the funeral service today

Procession: Two white horses sporting pink plumes of feathers had pulled the carriage containing Jade's coffin while five others containing the bodies of her brothers followed on behin

 

 

Celebration amid sadness: The white coffins containing the body of John, nine, (left) and his younger brother Jack, eight, (right) follow on behind. John's coffin was printed with toy soldiers
 

A celebration of their lives: The order of service featured a picture of all six children on the front and emotional tributes to each of them inside

 

'Protector': Eldest child Duwayne, 13, was described as a 'charming and caring young boy' and a 'real lady's man' in the order of service

 

'Mother hen': Only girl Jade, 13, became a 'mother hen to her younger brothers' always carrying them around on her hip

 

'Cheeky chappy': John, nine, had a 'daredevil personality' but his teachers described him as 'cheerful, smiley and polite'

 

'Quiet': Jack, eight, was 'cute, cuddly and content with everything' and was the quietest of his siblings who loved to watch Peppa Pig 

 

'Mischievous': Jesse, six, was 'crazy, clumsy and cheerful' and a little boy who will be remembered for his loving nature

 

'Baby': Nicknamed the 'miracle baby' because he was early, Jayden, five, was 'bouncy and hyper-active' and had a penchant for crisps

Upset: Mourners were urged to wear bright colours but they could not contain their grief as they walked into the church for the children's funeral service

Brave: Relatives weep as they follow the children's coffins into the church. A death notice placed in the announcements section of a local newspaper paid tribute to the children. It read: 'They all touched the hearts of so many'

 

Gathering: Huge crowds assembled outside the church across a footbridge, their colourful brollies shielding from the rain that had just started to fall

Assembling: Members of the public gather outside St Mary's church as the Philpott children's coffins are carried in

Too young for such grief: Many of the mourners were children, who cried as they watched the coffins being carried into and out of St Mary's

Charged: The children's parents Mick and wife Mairead Philpott, seen here weeping at a press conference in May following the devastating fire at their home have been charged with their murder and were not at the funeral today

Little Jack was described as 'a real pretty boy' with bright blue eyes, who loved to spend most of his time on his Nintendo DS and watching Peppa Pig, images of which were pictured on his coffin.

The order of service described him as 'cute, cuddly and content with everything'. The tribute added that Jack said he was like Duwayne because he was shy and bashful and that he was the quietest sibling.

The youngest of the six, Jayden, was nicknamed 'the miracle baby' by his parents after being born prematurely. The five-year-old was described as a bouncy and hyperactive boy, who always wanted to have fights with his older brothers.

'He loved lots of cuddles from family and friends,' the order of service read. 'Jayden's main pleasure in life was food. He could eat seven packets of crisps in one go if he could get away with it.

'He would go into the garden clean and go back into the house messy within minutes.' He was described as a real copycat who looked up to his big brothers.

'He was always the first one in the fights to run off crying to his mummy but some cuddles and kisses and he would be back to his gaming.'

Five of the six children died in the blaze at the semi-detached house in Allenton, Derby, in the early hours of May 11. 

Duwayne died two days later in Birmingham Children's Hospital.

A death notice placed in the announcements section of a local newspaper paid tribute to the children.

It read: 'They all touched the hearts of so many. Wonderful brothers and a beautiful special sister of David, Richard, Michaela, Mikey, Aiden, Jordon, Shareen, Katrina, Kirk, Yawrey and Josh.

'Much loved and precious grandchildren of Peggy and the late John Philpott and Jimmy and Vera Duffy. 'Sadly missed by uncles, aunts and families.

Shell: The fire swept through the children's home in Allenton, Derby as they slept in their beds. Mr and Mrs Philpott are set to go on trial for murder in January 2013