Family, friends and hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of “loving” schoolgirl Ava White on Thursday morning, after she was stabbed to death in Liverpool city centre last month.
Photographs of the 12-year-old, who was killed following a Christmas lights switch-on, covered her coffin, which was brought to the service at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral in a white horse-drawn carriage.
Applause broke out from the congregation as the coffin was carried into the church, and again later when the short service ended. Family and friends then went on to Anfield Crematorium.
Ava’s father Robert Martin, her mother Leanne White and her sister Mia were all present at the funeral, along with other family members,
All wore casual clothes, bright colours and even hoodies bearing photographs of the Notre Dame Catholic College pupil, after her family asked attendees not to come dressed in the traditional black attire.
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Officiating the service, the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon, told the church Ava was a “popular, loving young person” who “would try anything once”.
“Some of you will remember her as a daredevil, or as a real character who always brightened up the day or the moment by her presence,” he said, adding that the youngster had loved going on holiday, mixed martial arts, singing, dancing and making TikTok videos.
“This strong-willed girl, Ava, was loved by so many people. Heaven will be a happier place because of her exuberance. She will undoubtedly have taken it by storm.”
Notre Dame headteacher Peter Duffy gave a reading during the service, while hymns sang were “Do Not Be Afraid”, “For I Have Redeemed You” and “Amazing Grace”.
A mourner at Ava White’s funeral holds up the order of service
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Rev McMahon told reporters following the service that the number of people present at the cathedral “shows the unity and love that we have in Liverpool for Ava and her family”. Several hundred people are thought to have been present at the church, according to reporters present.
“It was an incredibly moving and emotional funeral, which was a fitting tribute to her,” he said.
Ava died from “catastrophic injuries” after being stabbed in the neck on the evening of 25 November. She was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital by paramedics at around 8.30pm, but died a short time later.
Following Ava’s death, her father said the family were “completely devastated and heartbroken”.
Mourners arrive for the funeral
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In a statement released by Merseyside Police, Mr Martin thanked “everybody for their ongoing support during this devastating time” but asked that their privacy be respected to “allow us to grieve as a family”.
Hundreds of people gathered to pay tribute to Ava at a vigil in Church Street earlier this month, with flowers and balloons being left around the city centre in her memory.
Cllr Anna Rothery, addressing the crowd on 4 December, said: “No family should ever have to go through this, but we have to take something from this.
The crowd at Ava’s vigil release balloons into the air
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“All these children here tonight who have turned out, you are our future, you deserve to go about your daily life knowing that you are going to be safe in this city.”
She also urged the government, council, police and other agencies to work together to eradicate knife crime, insisting: “Our children deserve better”.
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A 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with Ava’s murder and is due to appear in court for a plea and trial preparation hearing in February.
Additional reporting by PA