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| The mother of four children |
"You were all my heart, my life, my babies": Mother
The mother of four children killed in a house fire told mourners today they were "all my heart, my life, my babies".
Reece Smith, 19, four-year-old twin girls Holly and Ella Smith, and Jordan Smith, aged two, all died from smoke inhalation after the blaze at their family home in Freckleton, Lancashire, last month.
Michelle Smith, 36, joined her five other children at the funeral service at St John the Divine Church in Lytham.
Two separate coffins, carrying Reece and Jordan in one draped in a Blackpool FC flag, and the twins in the other draped in pink were brought in horse-drawn carriages.
...before it arrived at the church where the pallbearers - all wearing orange ties in the colours of Blackpool FC - carried them in.
The procession briefly stopped off at the scene of the blaze before it arrived at the church where the pallbearers - all wearing orange ties in the colours of Blackpool FC - carried them in.
Ms Smith told the congregation: "Reece, you were not only my first born but my best friend, my rock, big brother to your little sisters and brother.
"Holly and Ella, you were my beautiful girls. I remember the day I had my scan and they told me I was having twins and nearly fell off the bed. You were happy cheeky girls who played happily together sometimes but when you fought, you were terrible. You blamed each other for everything and when I questioned you you both blamed Banger (Jordan).
"Jordan, you were my little man with piercing blue eyes and a very cheeky personality.
"You were all my heart, my life, my babies. God bless my little man Jordan, my beautiful twins Holly and Ella and Reece my hero."
A murder inquiry was launched after detectives said the fire was started deliberately inside a wardrobe in one of the upstairs attic bedrooms in the converted bungalow on the evening of January 7.
A party was being held at the address in Lytham Road for the 36th birthday of Michelle Smith.
An 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder remains on bail pending further inquiries.
People lined the streets on the funeral procession route from Warton via Freckleton to Lytham today.
Inside a packed church, Reece's father, Martin Goulding, said his son loved his mother and his family including Ms Smith's other children, Andy, Kyle, Beth, Claire and Jodie.
"Reece was only 19 and that was not a long time at all but in his 19 years Reece grew up to be a fine human being, a gentleman sometimes, a friend always, a hero to everyone," he said.
"Reece was not only my son, he was my best friend, and I am never going to forget all the times we spent together. I am really going to miss him.
"He made me so proud to be called his father.
"I don't want to say goodbye so I will say goodnight. Sleep tight, baby boy, you have earned it."
The children's sister, Beth, said: "I will miss them all very much. They will never be forgotten."
The Blackpool FC anthem, The Dave Clark Five's Glad All Over, was played as the coffins were carried out of the church and taken to Lytham Crematorium.
The mother of four children killed in a house fire told mourners today they were "all my heart, my life, my babies".
Reece Smith, 19, four-year-old twin girls Holly and Ella Smith, and Jordan Smith, aged two, all died from smoke inhalation after the blaze at their family home in Freckleton, Lancashire, last month.
Michelle Smith, 36, joined her five other children at the funeral service at St John the Divine Church in Lytham.
Two separate coffins, carrying Reece and Jordan in one draped in a Blackpool FC flag, and the twins in the other draped in pink were brought in horse-drawn carriages.
...before it arrived at the church where the pallbearers - all wearing orange ties in the colours of Blackpool FC - carried them in.
The procession briefly stopped off at the scene of the blaze before it arrived at the church where the pallbearers - all wearing orange ties in the colours of Blackpool FC - carried them in.
Ms Smith told the congregation: "Reece, you were not only my first born but my best friend, my rock, big brother to your little sisters and brother.
"Holly and Ella, you were my beautiful girls. I remember the day I had my scan and they told me I was having twins and nearly fell off the bed. You were happy cheeky girls who played happily together sometimes but when you fought, you were terrible. You blamed each other for everything and when I questioned you you both blamed Banger (Jordan).
"Jordan, you were my little man with piercing blue eyes and a very cheeky personality.
"You were all my heart, my life, my babies. God bless my little man Jordan, my beautiful twins Holly and Ella and Reece my hero."
A murder inquiry was launched after detectives said the fire was started deliberately inside a wardrobe in one of the upstairs attic bedrooms in the converted bungalow on the evening of January 7.
A party was being held at the address in Lytham Road for the 36th birthday of Michelle Smith.
An 18-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder remains on bail pending further inquiries.
People lined the streets on the funeral procession route from Warton via Freckleton to Lytham today.
Inside a packed church, Reece's father, Martin Goulding, said his son loved his mother and his family including Ms Smith's other children, Andy, Kyle, Beth, Claire and Jodie.
"Reece was only 19 and that was not a long time at all but in his 19 years Reece grew up to be a fine human being, a gentleman sometimes, a friend always, a hero to everyone," he said.
"Reece was not only my son, he was my best friend, and I am never going to forget all the times we spent together. I am really going to miss him.
"He made me so proud to be called his father.
"I don't want to say goodbye so I will say goodnight. Sleep tight, baby boy, you have earned it."
The children's sister, Beth, said: "I will miss them all very much. They will never be forgotten."
The Blackpool FC anthem, The Dave Clark Five's Glad All Over, was played as the coffins were carried out of the church and taken to Lytham Crematorium.
News by Mirror
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